Explosions rock Maiduguri

Yekini

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2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

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Explosions rock Maiduguri ...as Mark begs for dialogue •JTF defuses more bombs, nabs sect’s Head of Operations, a Yoruba and wife in Kano

BY HENRY UMORU, NDAHI MARAMA, Maiduguri and ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD, Kano

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ESIDENTS of Maid uguri were yesterday awaken from their sleep as three bombs exploded in parts of the town making residents to scamper for safety.

The explosions which started at 2:00am and went on intermittently till about 2:15 am were greeted with sporadic gunfire which kept many residents awake till dawn.

The explosions were latter discovered to have happened at the Bayan Quarters, where the destroyed headquarters of the late Boko Haram former leader, Mohammed Yusuf ’s enclave was built.

Confirming the incident in a release, the spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa said: “At about 2am last night, there were minor explosions at Bayan Quarters in the outskirts of Maiduguri metropolis which drew the attention of JTF patrol team. ”On reaching the area, two unexploded bombs were recovered and they were defused by the task force. No casualty was recorded.”

Follwing these multiple explosions, the Senate President David yesterday pleaded with members of the Boko Haram militants to make themselves available for the proposed dialogue with the Federal Government.

The Senate President who noted that the overture made by the Federal Government to brainstorm with members of the sect was a laudable one, however stressed that the Federal Government cannot engage in monologue with the sect.

Speaking yesterday at the Stakeholders’ Broadcast Summit organized by the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria

(BON) held in Lagos, Senator Mark said, ‘’the members of the sect must be courageous enough to come out and state their grievances.

“They should be bold and state their anger so that the nation can find solution to those grievances. ‘’There is no government that would fold her arms and watch innocent citizens being murdered in schools, markets, churches as well as mosques. This carnage has to stop. ‘’As brothers and sisters, we must listen to each other ’s grievances.

I believe that in line with this, the Federal Government has expressed readiness for dialogue and I urge the members of the Boko Haram, their representatives, sponsors and sympathizers to key into this dialogue.”

Speaking to news men on the incidence, the JTF spokesman further revealed that in another incident, the troops at about 08:30 hours had an encounter with suspected sect members at the

Customs Bridge within Maiduguri during which a sect member was killed.

He further said two members of the notorious sect were arrested and 20 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition and a tricycle, popularly called Keke NAPEP were also recovered.

Musa said no casualty was recorded on the part of the task force, while claiming the situation has normalized and everyone should go about their lawful businesses without fear.

Meanwhile, the force in Kano arrested a high profile sect leader, his wife and five children yesterday. The troops early morning raided Farawa quarters, a sprawling slum in Kumbotso Local Government area of the municipality and arrested the sect leader identified as Suleiman Mohammed who is suspected to hail from Ogbomosho, Osun state, South West Nigeria.

JTF sources confided in

Pix: L-R: Sunil Pal Singh (M), Regional Sales Manager, Benin Zone, The La Casera Company Ltd being flanked by Palace Chiefs and Beauty Contestants of Miss La Casera 2012 during a recent courtesy to the Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa by a delegation of The La Casera Company.

Saturday Vanguard that Ibrahim Idris said that the silent killing of the the high profile suspect “ we made the arrest at innocent citizens of the and his entire family Farawa quarters this state.

The high profile arrest have been flown to Abu- morning”, adding that yesterday morning in ja for interrogation. details of the suspect is Kano coincided with the Saturday Vanguard not for public consumprecovery of seven trucks learnt that counter terror- tion now. ism personnel that Ibrahim Idris further re- of empty cans from an stormed the residence vealed that military uncompleted building in metropolis. recovered 3 pistols, one hardwares and explo- Kano AK47 assault riffle, one sives were recovered The Commissioner of thousand live ammuni- from Mohammed’s resi- Police said that the cans tion and wired Impro- dence after the raid, numbering thousands vised Explosive Devices. stressing that “investiga- were veritable compoIt was also gathered tion has commenced on nents in making low calibre IED’s. that when the JTF raid- the arrested suspect.”

The CP enjoined the ed his residence and arSecurity agencies are public to always endeavrested him, there was no suspecting the arrested shoot-out between him sect leader in the state as our to destroy such soft and the soldiers. the man behind series drink cans to frustrate Confirming the incident of attacks on security criminal elements from to reporters in Kano, Po- agencies, churches and converting them to use as weapons. lice Commissioner, Mr

2015: We will not campaign if we fail Nigerians — PDP expectation.

BY HENRY UMORU, Metuh stressed that the Abuja Bamanga Tukur led National Working CommitHEAD of the 2015 tee, NWC, will ensure Presidential elec- that government at all tion, the national leader- levels deliver on its ship of the Peoples Dem- promises to the people of ocratic Party, PDP, yester- Nigeria through constant day vowed that it will not monitoring and supervicampaign for the presi- sion.

According to him, ‘’We dential slot and other

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positions if it fails to deliver on its electoral promises.

Answering questions from Journalists yesterday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh also urged all the governors, Senators and other elected officers on the platform of the Party to jettison the idea or aspiration of getting the party’s ticket for subsequent elections or to return to their present offices if the people score them below

will not come to Nigerians for campaign until we see we have delivered at least 50 per cent of our electoral promises. ‘’The PDP will ensure that the government delivers on most of its promises before we come for re-election. This also applies to the states as

well. This is why the PDP chairman said the PDP will monitor and supervise activities of its elected officials. ‘’The party is focused in getting its elected officials to deliver on their promises and that is the only way for the PDP to maintain its positions as number one party in Ni-

geria.”

Meanwhile, the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur has officially collapsed the activities of his campaign organization, BMT, saying that unity will be the only remedy to the illness and challenges bedeviling the country”.

Robbers burgle Ogun IRS, cart away N20m …police arrest night guards

BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

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ARELY two weeks after some security gadgets were commissioned by Inspector General of police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar in Ogun state, robbers stormed the office of the Ogun State Internal Revenue

Service and carted away N20 million .

Saturday Vanguard learnt that, the incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday , exactly 2 a.m. when unknown persons were said to have broken through the windows of the Parastatal Building headquarters of the Ogun IRS .

A source hinted Saturday Vanguard that,the robbers who were about five , broke the vaults of the IRS before they took away the whopping cash from the burgled IRS building which is about 100 metres away from the Governor ’s Office, Oke Mosan and also shared offices with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence

Corps.

The source within the IRS who did not want his name in print confirmed the incident ,claiming that the burgled vault contained not less than N20million and expressed surprise that the burglary occurred when the IRS had such a huge amount in its vault.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

Nationwide doctors’ strike imminent if...

•NMA, govt, meeting deadlocked •Publish names of new doctors — NMA president

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE, CHIOMA OBINNA & GABRIEL OLAWALE

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nation-wide doc tors strike maybe imminent following the initiated dialogue between the Lagos State Government and the national body of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, which ended deadlocked yesterday even as the Lagos State Government has been challenged to publish names of the 373 doctors it claims to have recruited.

At the 4- hour meeting which had in attendance, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris,

Permanent Secretary, Dr. Femi Olugbile, other officials of the Lagos State Government including the State Head of Service, HOS, could not resolve the fixation position of the HOS that the Lagos Government had resolved to discipline its doctors and that the matter was beyond him.

To this end, the NMA national body is planning to convey an emergency delegates meeting to review the current situation and take a national position which findings by Saturday Vanguard revealed may result to a nation- wide doctors’ strike.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos on the

outcome of the meeting, the newly elected National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele appealed to the Lagos State Government to quickly get back to the negotiation table and explore the windows of opportunity presented to them by the NMA. Enabulele also urged the State Government to immediately reverse the sack orders of the doctors, retrieve the mass queries and to open themselves up for sincere and genuine dialogue towards redressing the issues at stake.

The NMA National President was in Lagos to seek a mediated settlement of all the issues in

Gov Fayemi, ACN, others hail NJC’s call to reinstate Salami •CNPP tells Jonathan to re-instate him, asks NJC to apologise

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN & CHIRS OCHAYI

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OLLOWING the de cision of the NJC after a session it held in Abuja Thursday, urging President Jonathan to reinstate the suspended the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun state have hailed the call for reinstatement of Justice Salami just as the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to swiftly reinstate Justice Ayo Salami to office without further delay.

Operating under the umbrella body of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, the parties warned President Jonathan that failure to act as swiftly as he did before may fuel the suspicion of double standard regrettably eroding his image.

The CNPP’s statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said “it is our candid view that Justice Salami was hounded because of the presidential election petition – CPC vs PDP, which he presided over then at the Appeal Court”.

Governor Fayemi who described the development as “triumph of truth” said in a statement yesterday that Justice Salami should also be commend-

ed for demonstrating an uncommon courage in upholding the truth.

Fayemi in the statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said: “even as the NJC should be commended for insisting on the truth in spite of subtle and overt intimidation, Salami’s only ‘sin’ was that he was courageous enough to speak the truth in the face of persecution.”

The statement described Salami as a man who spoke the truth by insisting that vote robbers must not go scot free, noting that his recall has not only vindicated

him but has also put a final seal on the machination of election riggers.

CNPP asks NJC to apologise Meanwhile, the CNPP has also asked the National Judicial Council, NJC, to apologize for taking wrong decision. The parties queried what happened between the nine months interval which made the NJC to reverse itself? According to them, “in this context, we urge the NJC to apologize to Nigerians for not complying diligently with the laws of the land, for discrediting the judiciary and for gross impropriety.”

•Resourcery PLC held a press conference on Assai Document Management Upcoming in Lagos .From left Mrs Ifeyinwa Adesida, Account Manager, Resourcery PLC; Mr. Olaseni Olorunfemi, Senior Product Analyst and Mr. Onome Okwah, Public Relations Specialist during the event. Photo by Joe Akintola, Photo Editor. dispute between the parties.

Enabulele who frowned at the attitude of some of the officials during the meeting hinted that the national body is exploring all options to resolve the crisis.

His words, “Lagos State Government should honestly take responsibility for all that had happened because what generated the crisis is its inability to keep faithfully to the agreement.

“So, as expected in a democracy, it should be

HE federal govern ment has been urged to adopt new water treatment system called Meckow Aquapur to complement its commitment to providing safe drinking water for all Nigerians as it works

towards achieving vision 2020.

Managing Director of BGV Ltd, Mrs Iyadunmi Gbadebo said this yesterday in Lagos at an interactive session with journalists. According to Mrs Gbadebo theMeckow Aqua-

BY EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief

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HE Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, has sent the final industry and transaction documents on

pur water treatment system which was designed and developed by Dr. Leighton James, a research scientist, is basically used for the treatment of non saline water from surface sources such as ponds, lakes and reservoirs .

Get rid of the cabal in power sector — Fashola urges

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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has blamed the problem of power supply in the country on the activities of few citizens of the country, whom he described as a cabal.

Fashola who made the remark Thursday at a Public

Policy Forum organised by the Business Hallmark with the theme ‘Nigeria in the new Age: Redefining parametres of the Social contract’, held in Lagos, said that they have drained the sector to benefit their personal goals which has caused constant pow-

the names of the newly recruited doctors.”

On the purported eviction of the doctors, Enabulele said it is totally rejected by the NMA. He said, “The eviction is not in order. It even violates the tenancy laws of the Lagos State . It traumatises the sacredness of the human entity. So, it is totally rejected. It is totally unacceptable and the NMA believes that there are better ways of addressing the needs and the expectations of the workforce.”

PHCN Privatisation: BPE sends final bid documents to prospective investors

Briefs FG urged to pursue new water system

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honourable enough to implement what they agreed to implement.

Once they do that, nobody will have any cause to agitate. Everybody will work together as brothers and sisters and that essentially is the message.”

Speaking on the claims of the Lagos Government that it had recruited 373 new doctors, he challenged the state government to publish the names of the newly recruited doctors.

“If the government is sincere, it should publish

er failure in the country.

According to him, “these people are in the minority. And their presence in the power sector has continuously impeded the social contract between the government and its citizens to provide constant power supply.”

the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to the 152 potential investors interested in buying up its successor companies.

President Goodluck Jonathan, earlier in the week, gave BPE a marching order on PHCN privatization and warned the organization to adhere strictly to the privatization guidelines and that he would not accept excuses for infractions in any form in the privatization exercise.

The 13 bid documents sent to the potential investors, yesterday, according to the agency, included Share Sale Agreement; Shareholders Agreement; Performance Agreement; and Concession Agreement.

Industry documents sent along were: Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreement; Gas Transportation Agreement; Bulk Power Purchase Agreement (Thermal); Bulk Power Purchase Agreement (Hydro); Vesting Contract;

Transmission Use of System Agreement; Grid Connection Agreement; and Ancillary Services Agreement.

The Head of Public Communications, Mr. Chukwuma Nwoko , explained that the BPE had on March 30, 2012 issued the revised industry and transaction documents to the bidders and informed them that the privatisation agency expects to receive all comments on the documents by April 20, 2012.

In the wake of bidders’ feedback, another meeting of all industry stakeholders was held in Abuja on May 5 and 6, 2012 to finalise the bidding documents.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 — 7

NCC slams MTN ALA T, Air MTN,, ETIS ETISALA ALAT Air-tel, Glo with N1 N1..17b penalty o ovver poor quality of ser vice service

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

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HE Nigerian Commu nications Commission, NCC, yesterday, slammed four major Nigerian telecommunications operators, MTN Nigeria, Etisalat, Airtel and Globacom with a cumulative fine of about One billion, one hundred and seventy million Naira ( N1,170,000,000) as penalty for the poor quality of services they rendered to their different subscribers in the months of March and April 2012.

The commission’s Head Media and public relations, Mr Reuben Muoka said that details of the penalties have already been communicated to the different operators. However, details of the penalties made available to Saturday Vanguard, shows that MTN Nigeria and its counterpart, Etisalat Nigeria, will pay Three Hundred and Sixty Million naira ) each.

Meanwhile, Airtel is to pay the sum of two hundred and seventy million Naira, (N270,000,000) while Globacom was also slammed with One Hundred and Eighty Million Naira, (N180,000,000) fine. The commission also directed all the affected operators to pay the penalties on or before May 21, 2012 or risk additional payment of two million, five hundred thousand Naira, (N2,500,000) daily, for as long as the contravention lasted.

The commission said that the penalties became

necessary as the operators failed to meet with the minimum standard of quality of service including the key performance indicators, KPIs set for them.

Muoka added that the Commission has in line with the provisions of the regulation, monitored the performance of the operators on the different parameters as provided and the result showed that the service providers are in contravention of the provisions and therefore invoked paragraph 13 & Schedule 3 Paragraph 2 of the Quality of Service Regulation 2012, which provides that any company which contravenes this provision will be liable to pay fine. The operators are to pay the sum of N15, 000, 000. 00 (fifteen million naira only) each for each parameter for a service contravened in the month of March,2012 and a further sum of N2, 500, 000 (two million five hundred thousand naira only) for each parameter for a service for each day the contravention continued throughout the month of April, 2012.

In the letter communicating the penalties to the different operators, signed by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, and the Head of Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Engr. Ubale Maska, the Commission said that “ it had noted the performances in the months of January and February 2012 as being below the specified thresholds, however, for the pur-

Delta Engineers meet

BY SIMON ADEWALE

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HE Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Engr. Victor Ochei who was recently conferred as Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (FNSE) is expected to be feted today in Warri.

Warri Branch Chairman, Engr. Ugochukwu Nzurumike, in a statement noted that Engr.

C.W. Nwamu, FNSE, would deliver a paper on Building Services Engineering at 11:00am on the occasion . The main paper of the Public Lecture series, titled “The Engineer and Society” would be delivered by Engr. A. S. U Aragba, a Fellow of the society (NSE).

The feting ceremony is to be chaired by Simon Itua Ehiemua, MD, War-

ANNUAL CHARITY BALL

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HIS year’s Annual Charity Ball of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul , St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland will come up on 12 May 2012 at the McGovern Hall, St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland Lagos. The Annual Charity Ball (ACB) is a scheme aimed at helping to mould the youths into sound citizens, people of character and integrity by encouraging them to acquire qualitative and quantitative education. ACB has grown to accommodate about 140 students from primary to tertiary level including vocational training.

pose of enforcement of the new Quality of Service Regulations, the Commission had taken these periods as grace period”.

MTN reacts, explains reasons for poor QoS

Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, MTN, yesterday outlined part of the problems that led to poor quality of service,appealing to NCC to also help in straightening some of them out.

The company’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr Akinwale Goodluck, said that inadequate power supply, lack of adequate security leading to indiscriminate vandalisation of its facilities and multiple regulation and taxation were also responsible for poor services within the time under review.

According to Goodluck, MTN generates up to 80% of its power requirements, expending billions of Naira annually on diesel alone.

He said that “MTN suffers more than seventy cuts to its fibre on a monthly basis. Indeed, in April this year, MTN had cause to publish full page announcements in the newspapers, alerting the public to the growing incidence of criminal damage to MTN’s infrastructure in various parts of the country and the impact on quality of service in the country, particularly the South East, as well as Port Harcourt, and Onitsha, Lagos, Kano and Abuja. ri Refining and Petrochemical Company while Engr. (Prof.) Steve N. Ojobor, FNSE and founding chairman of Warri Branch of NSE would be Guest Speaker. Other dignitaries expected at the occasion include a former Delta State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Pius Sinebe, FNSE.

The funeral thanksgiving service for Late Deacon Peter Afolabi Afikuyomi was held at Yaba Baptist Church, Yaba, Lagos yesterday. Pix from left Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Governor of Lagos State; Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State and Erelu Olabisi Fayemi, wife of Ekiti State Governor during the church service. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

Rtd IGP Okiro and his children during his wife’s burial service.

Rtd IGP Okiro’s wife to be buried today

BY EMMA NNADOZIE

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HE wife of retired Inspector-general of Police, Sir Mike Okiro will be buried today in Obiakpu, Egbema Local government Area of Rivers State.

The final burial rite of Chief Mrs. Hera Okiro began last Thursday at her residence in Abuja with a service of songs at the Holy Trinity Church,

Maitama area.

The solemn occasion was presided over by the parish priest Rev Fr Chris Inegbenoghu. In attendance were prominent personalities which include among others, Diplomats from International Communities, serving and former Governors, Senators, members of the House of Reps, Ambassadors and other personalities.

In his sermon, the parish priest, Rev Fr Chris Inegbenoghu dwelled on the life and times of her life and praised her philanthropic, peaceful lifestyle as worthy of emulation. He also advised Nigerians to change their lifestyles, reiterating that those in high positions should always respect the rights of others and render help where necessary.

BOSG employed 1,500 youths as environmental vanguards

BY NDAHI MARAMA, Maiduguri

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N its efforts to combat un employment and protecting the environment, Borno state government has employed 1,500 youths to serve as environmental vanguards in making the state waste free and environment friendly.

Speaking at the launching

of Borno Environmental Vanguard and Youths Empowerment scheme held at the Government

House Maiduguri yesterday, Governor Kashim Shettima said the scheme is first of its kind in the

North-East sub-region which is aimed at protecting and developing the environment.

Ministerial press briefing commences Monday

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S part of activities marking the 1st year anniversary of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun–led administration in Ogun State, the State Ministry of Information and Strat-

egy is organizing a week-long ministerial press briefing where Commissioners and Special Advisers will give their account of stewardship beginning from

Monday, 14 th May 2012.

Venue is the Press Centre of the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta starting at 9 in the morning.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

Six policemen beat colleague to coma

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, Port Harcourt

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T was a show of shame Thursday night at Eleme roundabout in Port Harcourt when about six Police men pounced on one of their colleagues beating him to coma because he allegedly resisted their effort to extort money from a commercial bus driver.

Eye witnesses gave the name of the Mobile Policeman who was beaten to coma as James Ameh and attached to Mopol 56. They said he was in a commercial bus when suddenly about six Policemen stopped the vehicle, ordering the driver to hand over the key to them. They said he had flouted traffic rule at about 7pm when he picked a passenger in the area.

The driver who did not want to waste time allegedly alighted from his vehicle to negotiate with the Policemen who insisted he must part with five thousand naira. At this point, the Mobile Policeman, James Ameh who was reportedly on the front seat with the Bus driver had to come down to appeal to his colleagues to let the driver go for his sake.

The Policemen were allegedly uncomfortable with his role in the whole drama. And one of them had to push him, telling him to get off their way.

Before the Mobile Policeman could even regain balance, the six Policemen reportedly started raining slaps at him from all sides. In the heat of the ugly drama, the anti riot policeman alleg-

edly slumped.

The eyewitnesses said it took the intervention of sympathisers to move him from where he allegedly slumped.

When contacted for comment on the alleged shameful conduct of some Policemen in his command, the state Police Commissioner, Mr Mohamed Indabawa said those allegedly involved were being investigated. He said the matter had been brought to his attention. “We know those said to be involved.

And the whole issue is being investigated”, he said.

Benue Gov and his deputy at loggerhead over dissolution of councils

BY PETER DURU, Makurdi

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S resentments con tinue to trail Wednesday ’s dissolution of the 18 local government council caretaker committees of Benue state, a crisis of confidence is alleged to have erupted between Governor Gabriel Suswam and his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani over the sacking of the the leadership of the councils.

This is just as a group under the aegis of Idoma Youths Solidarity Front, IYSF, has called on the embattled deputy governor to resign his position on the premise that he has failed to represent the interest of the people of Benue South district in his capacity as deputy governor of the state.

Saturday Vanguard gathered from a reliable

FUTA gets new VC

BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

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UTHORITIES of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has approved the appointment of the institution’s sixth substantive Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola.

The appointment was made at the special meeting of the Institution’s Governing Council.

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President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza (right); Ms Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, Founder, LEAP Africa(2nd right); and Dr Akudo Anyanwu Ikemba, Founder/ CEO of Friends Africa, at the World Economic Summit, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Friday

Prof Daramola was born on March 2, 1958 and had his secondary education at Anglican Grammar School, Ileife and Saint Charles College, Osogbo before proceeding to the Polytechnic, Ibadan in 1975.

He had his first degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) and the Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees from the University of Ibadan.

source that the conflict between Governor Suswam and his deputy had erupted following the decision of Chief Lawani to doctor a memo Governor Suswam approved for the dissolution of 19 out of the 23 local government areas of the

state before he jetted out of the country with President Jonathan Goodluck on Wednesday.

The approval for the sack was sequel to the new local government laws passed by the State Assembly which stipulated the sack of caretaker

committees which had stayed beyond six months in the saddle.

Findings revealed that the caretaker committees at the 19 of the 23 local government areas in the state had stayed in the office for close to one year, hence, the decision

of the Governor to adhere to the new law by approving the sack of the affected council committees with the exception of Makurdi, Tarka, Agatu and Gboko council areas whose caretaker committees were constituted about three months ago.

Former Edo deputy Gov Obadan, others dump PDP for ACN All Nigeria Peoples Par- the party in a rally where

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

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ORMER Deputy Governor of Edo state, Rev.Peter Obadan, Retired Justice A.S.Abiri,

Athanacious Ugbome and former chairman of Owan West Local Government Council, Mr Richard Ofemu, yesterday, led over one thousand members of PDP and the

ty (ANPP), who dumped their parties for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), at Auchi,Etsako West Local Government Council of the state.

They were received into

Akpabio laments death of Special Adviser on political and legislative affairs

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OVERNOR Gods will Akpabio has described a one-time Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Af-

fairs to Akwa Ibom Government, Mr. Joe Udobia as a philanthropist and political encyclopaedia.

Mr. Udobia who was

Prof. Adebiyi Daramola started his working career as a Teaching/Tutorial Assistant in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan in 1982.

He later joined the services of the Federal University of Technology, Akure as Assistant Lecturer in 1986 and rose through the ranks to become a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension in 1999.

Prof. Daramola has served the University in various ca-

pacities; as Head of Department, Chairman and member of various committees.

He has over 50 publications in both National and International reputable journals. He is a Consultant to World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria, Agricultural Consultant to International Finance Corporation/Accord Associate, Evaluation Consultant to UK – Department for International Development and Consultant to African Development Bank, among others.

also a one-time executive Chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area died weeks ago after a brief illness.

Chief Akpabio who Thursday paid a condolence visit on the deceased family at their residence in Uyo condoled the family on the sad incident, saying ‘’I am here to condole your family on the death of my former colleague and political partner. The news of his death was shocking. In spite of the challenges, he was a man who overcame life’s challenges. He was a father to many- a philanthropist and a political encyclopedia.”

Governor Adams Oshiomhole kicked off his governorship campaign in Edo North senatorial district of the state. With yesterday ’s governorship campaign, the governor brought to an end his governorship campaign in the three senatorial districts of the state, amidst grief.

Rev. Obadan who declared that the PDP in the state failed the people of the state, pointed out that the problem with the PDP in the state was caused by a cabal “led by a god father”, adding “and because they know it all, we have decided to abandon the sinking ship to support Oshiomhole in his on going developmental projects across the three senatorial districts of the state”.

Addressing the mammoth crowd, Governor Oshiomhole stressed that the governorship campaigns will be based on issues, just as he accused the PDP in the state of plotting violence because “they have no report card to show to Edo people”.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 — 9

2015: Jonathan is qualified to contest — South South PDP boss

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA, Yenagoa

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S the controversy whether President Goodluck Jonathan will contest the 2015 presidential poll lingers, the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South, Mr. Stephen Oru said the zone has commenced the process of actualising Jonathan’s second term.

He disclosed that the South South zonal secretariat of the PDP is relocating to Edo State for the July 12 governorship to ensure that the party clinches the poll.

According to him, the PDP needed complete South South states to ensure a second term Presidency for President Goodluck Jonathan by 2015.

President Goodluck Jonathan, he said, though has not expressed interest in the 2015 presidential race, he is qualified like any other Nigerian for the race.

He said, “it is important for the ruling PDP to have a hundred per cent domination in the home region of the President with a victory in the governorship poll in Edo State.”

Mr. Oru, who led the zonal executives of the PDP to the inauguration of the Bayelsa executive

council of the party in Yenagoa, said the party in the region is focused on the governorship poll in Edo and will temporarily relocate to Benin City ahead of the election due to the importance attached to the state and the second term of the President.

“We are committed to winning Edo State, with a view to getting full support for Jonathan 2015 reelection bid,” he said, adding that the PDP remains the largest party not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa, with better prospects for promoting the welfare and interest of the masses”.

Akwa Ibom’s Governor Godswill Akpabio (middle), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Governor (left) and Senator (Mrs) Florence Ita Giwa (Right) at the recent Silverbird Awards

No regret working for Oshiomhole again — Afegbua

wa group urges Go Terrorsim: Are Arew Govv Aliu to resign

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By ALBERT AKPOR, Lagos

IRECTOR of Media and Publicity of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation Prince Kassim Afegbua has declared that he had no regret coming back to campaign for the re-election of the Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole despite his earlier stance against the Governor. Prince Afegbua who stated this in an exclusive telephone interview with Saturday Vanguard said those who are using his earlier comments as paid advertorial should better save their monies and focus on the elections of July 14, as according to him, “it will not change anything”.

According to Prince Afegbua, “I have no regret over my earlier comments. The fact that the Comrade Governor is still able to cultivate my patronage and support by recruiting me to be part of his campaign knowing full well that I am not sycophantic about issues, makes him magnanimously different from the opposition PDP candidate who cannot tolerate voice of dissent.

The fact that the Comrade Governor can tolerate criticism from those of us who are supposed to be close to him, makes him a man and a leader of my heart, and not those who will fire anyone who disagrees with them. Internal criticism and constructive dialogue are some of the

inherent characteristics that make me to appreciate the Governor. I am neither a contractor nor business buccaneer, I am simply a professional who has a mind of his own. I have had cause to disagree with the Comrade Governor both in private and in public, and it has not in any way affected our relationship”, Afegbua explained.

Speaking further on why he has chosen to pitch his tent for Comrade Oshiomhole, Afegbua stated that on “account of his performance, the Comrade Governor needs the support of each and everyone of us to succeed so that the State will not fall into the hands of marauding politicians of the PDP ilk, who are desperately in need of public till to oil their greed”.

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PAN Northern group, Arewa Youth Forum AYF has said that it was no longer comfortable with governor Babangida Aliu’s continued chairmanship of the Northern Governors’ forum for its visible failure to proffer solution to stem the tide of insecurity in the northern region. The group frowned at a recent remark credited to the Niger state governor which quoted him as saying that he has successfully rid his state of terror groups while failing to sell such idea to governors of other states. Rising from an emergency meeting, the group condemned in strong term, the ceaseless and unwarranted destruction of lives and property in the affected states, the almost prostrate econom-

MA C A rescues o 50 MAC ovv er 1 150 abandoned babies in C-River

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar

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NON Governmental Organization and one of the pet projects of Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke, wife of the Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, Mothers Against Child Abandonment has so far rescued over 150 abandoned babies in the state.

Mrs. Imoke disclosed this in Calabar when she received various insignia of awards including Tourism Personality of the year 2011, bestowed on her at different times between 2010 and 2012 for her service to humanity. She explained that MACA was established to take care of abandoned babies and teenage pregnant girls who have been kicked out.

ic situation in these states which they said was due to the inability of the governors’ forum under the chairmanship of governor Aliu. They therefore, want the governor to resign his chairmanship of the forum without further delay stressing that he has clearly shown that he was not fit to lead the governors in achieving its set goals. National chairman of the group, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu while addressing newsmen said the governors’ forum was a veritable medium to discussing issues affecting Nigeria and of course, the northern region of the country in particular and thereafter, make appropriate recommendations to the federal government. He therefore wondered why insecurity in the north has persisted rather than abate.

As part of efforts of the group to bring lasting peace in the northern states of the federation, Alhaji Gunjugu said the AYF has concluded plans to mobilize youths in the north to pray for the peace and progress of the region while appealing to all the

aggrieved groups in the region to embrace dialogue as a way out.

He noted that since the crisis began and had continued unabated, hundreds had lost their lives while property which monetary value could not be ascertained have been destroyed leaving the North to be so unattractive for local and foreign investment.

He described as sad that even businessmen of Northern extraction pre-

ferred to invest and establish businesses elsewhere instead of the North, pointing out that in a situation where the governors under the leadership of Babangida Aliyu continued to watch helplessly while lives and property were being destroyed the best thing to do is for him to give way to a proactive person who could pave the way for a genuine dialogue so that peace could reign in the region.

Cross River State gets US’ special status award

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ROSS River State has been categorized as a ‘Sister State’ to the state of Maryland in the United States of America (USA), thus paving the way for the two states to partner in areas of development.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River said the partnership was officially confirmed at a meeting in the Office of the Secretary of State in Maryland on May 6.

Ondo State is the only other Nigerian state that has a similar relationship with the state of Maryland.

The partnership is to provide an opportunity for Cross River and Ondo states on one hand; and the State of Maryland on the other; to further enhance cultural and historic understanding and cooperation, and to promote international trade between the USA, Cross River and Ondo states.

Oshiomhole orders renaming of Anenih’s street after Oyerinde

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, has renamed the Delta Crescent, where the mansion of the former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Chief Tony Anenih is located in GRA Benin City, after the his late Principal Private Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde.

The Governor who made the pronouncement Wednesday, during the Service of Songs for the deceased Oyerinde at Government House Benin City, said Oyer-

inde who was murdered at his residence last week, fought against godfatherism and the entrenchment of democracy and good governance in Edo state.

“Therefore, it is very proper we rename Delta Crescent where a lot of big men reside after him”.

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Vanguard MA Y 12, 2012 MAY

the implementation because of the calibre of people implicated.

Many of them are top political office holders, party big wigs, friends of the presidency, seen as “sacred cows” which should not be touched no matter their culpability. In a country where corruption holds sway and has become a way of life, the fuel subsidy report may end up in the bureaucratic archives, laid to rest.

BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

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Farouk Lawan

Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke

IMPLEMENTING FUEL SUBSIDY REPORT:

FG already begging the question Congress (NLC), SNG, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and some civil society organisations have threatened to mobilise the people for another street protest if the Federal Government fails to implement the report of the House of Representatives AdHoc Committee on the fuel subsidy regime.

Similarly, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) wants President Goodluck Jonathan to apologise to Nigerians for his

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ooking at the fate which befell previous investigative reports unearthing misdeeds in some critical sectors of our national economy for lack of implementation, it is not unlikely that the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel subsidy management report may also go down the drain.

With what happened to the Tony Elumelu Power probe by the House of Representatives in which over $16 billion (US Dollars) stolen by contractors and some prominent eminent individuals supposed to provide power plants and fix our electricity system but nothing done to the culprits, the privatisation of government properties bought at give-away prices by top civil servants and politicians which nobody knows where the report is, the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) probe report yet to be seen, not to talk of the Okigbo Panel report on the multimillion dollars windfall from the Gulf War which disrupted oil production in that region and other probes, people are now thinking nothing can emerge by this latest fuel subsidy scam involving N1.7 trillion looted by political/government office holders, state agencies and make-shift emergency businessmen. About 72 firms were fingered in the subsidy scam.

Chaired by Hon. Farouk Lawan, the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on fuel subsidy management after several weeks of fact-finding hearings, recommended that some oil companies be made to refund nearly N42 billion to the federation account, the NNPC should refund N310,414,963,613 it received illegally as subsidy for kerosene, the NNPC, (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation), PPPRA (Pipeline Product Pricing Regulatory Agency), and other marketers refund N1.1 trillion to government which they fraudulently appropriated to themselves.

The panel blamed the chairman of the Board of PPPRA from 2009 – 2011 and entire members during the period for opening the floodgate for what it called “the Bazaar,” and asked that they should be investigated and prosecuted by relevant anticorruption agencies.

The report definitely has vindicated the “Occupy Nigeria” protest in January organised by Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and some civil society groups against the sudden and arbitrary increase in pump price of petrol from N65 per litre to N141 per litre.

Now the Nigeria Labour

Our investigation shows that most Nigerians want the report implemented fully without unnecessary delay

“government’s ill-advised removal of the so-called fuel subsidy in January.”

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and proceed to implement the recommendations of the committee. Also indicted persons and oil firms be prosecuted, including NNPC leadership, management and the supervising ministry.

Joining in the call for the prosecution of indicted government functionaries is Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, urging Nigerians to prepare for another round of protest against corruption. Also agitated by the monumental

ccording to ACN, the report had shown that “the removal was an egregious error of judgment that had left Nigerians feeling swindled by their government.”

The party agreed the President can be wrong in his judgement when he approved hike in fuel price without justification, but should be humble enough to apologise and then revert to the preJanuary price of N65 per litre

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corruption that characterised the fuel subsidy management, Pastor Tunde Bakare warned of an impending protest if government officials connected with the subsidy scam are not immediately brought to justice. Describing the whole thing as revealed by the committee’s report as “an organized banditry,” he declared that this is now the time to act and save the country from the grip of corruption.

But Farouk Lawan, apparently sensing the mood of the people, assured that the

report might not end up in the dust bin, reportedly saying that, “the timely execution of the (probe) report will determine its next relationship with the executive arm of government.”

However, a disturbing dimension has come into probe report when the Federal Government seemed not to have made up its mind about prosecuting officials indicted.

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n a press release, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, reacting, explained that the probe was mainly a factfinding one, adding, that there is need to ensure thorough investigations are carried out by relevant law enforcement agencies.

He reiterated that as a democratically elected and responsible government, the administration must be guided by the dictates of the rule of law and due process.

It is also on record that President Goodluck Jonathan, in his initial reaction to the report had affirmed that any person found wanting will be prosecuted irrespective of the person’s standing in the society.

Our investigation shows that most Nigerians want the report implemented fully without unnecessary delay.

The government may not be willing to expedite action on

fter release of the probe report, serious objections were raised by some of the indicted oil companies, including NNPC, CBN, and a leading accounting firm in their attempts to undermine the veracity and integrity of the report. Some of the oil firms said that they were not invited by the panel to testify, while others disputed the amount they received from the subsidy administration.

Initially, when government announced the removal of subsidy bringing pump price per litre to N141 from N65, it immediately introduced the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment (SURE) programme with a mandate to put back proceeds from subsidy removal into infrastructure development, maternal healthcare, boost the national economy and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths, provision of mass transit buses among other palliatives meant to cushion the effect of the removal.

Many people believed the SURE scheme was deceitful to hoodwink the citizens and cover up the frightening corruption inherently entrenched in the subsidy regime. Even President Goodluck Jonathan and his ministers were saying emphatically that Nigeria’s economy will collapse completely if fuel subsidy was not removed.

But today, the Nigerian people now know better that the subsidy was a conduit pipe used by powerful people in government, their proxies and also government agencies to massively plunder the national treasury.

How can one explain the situation in which the former Accountant-General of Nigeria admitted that cheques in the amount of N999 million were issued by his office 128 times to bypass the regulations against issuing cheques of over N1 billion or more at a time? No wonder the Save Nigeria Group, the arrow head of the devastating protest that grounded the country for over eight days in January, had insisted corruption is the problem and not the subsidy.

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OIL SUBSIDY REPORT:

sides, there seems to be a push from some powerful quarters to exonerate some people who are considered sacred cows in the society.

President Jonathan’s litmus test on fight against corruption Commitment comes by spoken words and actions. For sometime, successive governments in Nigeria have mouthed their resolve to give Nigerians a new lease of life by eradicating corruption. But much as they hyped this resolve, they also ended up not achieving it and in some ways, unfortunately, championed it eventually. The regime of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is another one that wants to bring the social vice to its knees starting with the report of the oil subsidy. Will he achieve it? Will he step on toes or will the cycle continue? These are definitely the barrage of questions Nigerians must be asking at the moment as Saturday Vanguard’s JOHN BULUS x-rays the situation. burdens one to think that the persons in charge of the establishments were very unmindful of their actions and even their inactions.

Apart from companies and other corporate bodies which were found guilty by the panel and ordered to refund some amount of money to the coffers of the Federal government, the biggest case which will task the political tenacity of the government is the involvement of the two big masquerades on whose platforms evil blossomed.

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he first is the Ministry of Petroleum and the NNPC which allegedly opened the flood gate for all kinds of practices.

Hear the Probe Panel: “The NNPC was found not to be accountable to anybody or authority. The corporation in 2011 processed payment of N310.4 billion as 2009-2011 arrears of subsidy on kerosene contrary to a Presidential directive which removed subsidy on kerosene in 2009

without any provisions in the Appropriation Act. Direct deductions from funds for the Federation Account in contravention of section 162 of the Nigerian constitution and illegal granting of price differential or discounts of crude oil price per barrel to NNPC to the tune of N108.648 billion from 20092011.”

The former national

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t was not as if the out come of the subsidy probe was exactly preempted, but even before the Farouk Lawan Probe Committee of the House of Representatives embarked on the energy sapping , fact-finding exercise, many Nigerians had known that there will be culprits. This is premised on the fact that corruption is endemic and has somewhat defined our national life. It is such that some Nigerians especially the so called bourgeoisies thrive more on sharp practices. And so, not a few Nigerians watched with bated breathe the Committee as it painstakingly unraveled the rot in the oil sector with concerned stakeholders and frontline actors in the sector which included various Government Agencies, Individuals, Ministries or Departments who took turns to answer what they know.

The large scale probe, indeed, came timely. Ostensibly occasioned by the removal of oil subsidy on January 1, 2012 amidst turbulent reactions and harshness, Nigerians wanted to know how the subsidy regime effectively served them.

Consequently, the House of Representatives in its wisdom launched the probe.

As expected, the result was mind-boggling. Companies and individuals alike were found to have soiled their hands in one way or another.

Of more worrisome is the involvement of some key government parastatals such as the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA who flagrantly and blatantly provided the dais upon which financial atrocities were committed such that

z Dankwambo

z President

Jonathan

hours.

Panel: “The particular Accountant General that served during the period 2009 was found to have made payments of equal installments of N999 million for the record of 128 times within 24 hours totaling N127.872 billion. The confirmed payments from CBN records were made to beneficiaries yet to be disclosed by the OAGF or identified by the

The Panel alleged that his office made excessive payment amounting to 128 times within 24 hours

Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali who was also the Chairman of the PPPRA, another conduit pipe for funds siphon was also indicted.

On him the panel said: “The chairman of the board of the PPPRA from 20092011, and the entire members of the board during the period are hereby reprimanded and their decision which opened the floodgate for the bazaar is condemned in the strongest terms”.

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he case also affected the former AccountantGeneral of the Federation who is now the Governor of Gombe State in the North eastern geo-political hemisphere of the country, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo. The Panel alleged that his office made excessive payment amounting to 128 times within 24

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committee. We however, discovered that only 36 marketers were participants under the PSF scheme during this period.

Even if there were 128 marketers, it was inconceivable that all would have imported the same quantity of products to warrant equal payments.”

It also added: “All those in the Federal Ministry of Finance, office of the Director General of the budget, Accountant General of the Federation involved in the extra budgetary expenditure under the Petroleum Support Scheme between 20092011 should be sanctioned in accordance with the civil service rules and code of conduct bureau”.

But to most people, the foregoing is no more news. What is perhaps news now is the punitive measure that will be meted out to the guilty. Already, there has been a harvest of denials which sends a very bad signal that the reports of the probe may have been tampered with. Be-

or instance, the move may have led to the exoneration of some companies considered to have embarked on the illegal transactions.

Key oil companies initially mentioned amongst those which absconded after they allegedly collected over $230 million dollars for importing fuel but never did were exonerated.

Similarly, Gover nor Dankwambo was last week cleared from the indictment and there were also protests in Abuja against the prosecution or sack of key government officials over the saga.

With the development, the allround impression is that the report of the probe panel will, like others be swept under the carpet. And sadly, still, the development also reminds one of similar probes such as the Halliburton, etc whose reports are still begging for adoption.

This copiously tasks the psyche of President Goodluck Jonathan who has repeatedly mouthed his resolve to fight corruption head on.

Only last week, the Board of Trustees and National Executive Council Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, rose from a meeting in Kaduna to tell the President that he is losing the war against corruption.

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communiqué after the meeting signed by its national publicity secretary, Antony Sani explained that the group reviewed with deep concern, recent revelations of monumental corruption in the country, particularly in the police pension office, the fuel subsidy scheme as well as other bribery convictions relating to Halliburton, Daimler and Siemens, in the USA and Germany.

It further said that “While commending the House of Representatives for conducting this major investigation in the horrendous scandal, the meeting called on the Federal Government to step up the war on corruption and live up to its pledge of not sparing the perpetrators of this crime”.

But President Jonathan has vowed that he will deal decisively with anybody found guilty in the oil subsidy probe.

The President who talked so tough through his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi said that he won’t spare any one no matter how highly placed in the society.

“So, I can assure you that nobody is going to interfere with the report but you have to look at the people he selected to look into the rot in the system – men and women of proven integrity. As this one is happening here, another investigative panel is also tak-

Continues on page 12

Vanguard MA Y 12, 2012 MAY

President Jonathan’s litmus test on fight against corruption Continued from page 11 ing place in the executive arm. Mr President is on the same page with the members of the National Assembly to rid the society especially the oil sector of the rot”.

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ccording to her, “the in vestigation undertaken by the House of Representatives into the utilization of the petroleum subsidies is commendable. It is in line with the Federal government’s antigraft war in the petroleum industry.

“The Executive and the legislative arms of government are on the same page on the issue and would collaborate towards ensuring that any rot in the sector is fully addressed. The issues that led to the investigation predated President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The President is poised to sanitize the oil sector and give it a new breadth of life through enhanced probity, transparent governance and zero corruption. Mr. President’s sincere desire of enthroning probity was clearly manifested by his choice of men of integrity to be involved and he did not mind crossing the partisan barrier to get his opponent in the Presidential election to lead the investigation. So, it is not surprising that the President should welcome what the House members have done and he is on the same page on the issues”.

In the same vein, the ruling party, PDP, has also thrown its support behind President Jonathan and vowed to fully concur with the report of the investigation probe panel.

“In line with the resolve of the Dr. Bamanga Tukur-led NWC that the new leadership of our great party, PDP, shall be in the forefront of the battle against corruption and in view of the principled stand and deep commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan on the matter, the NWC hereby restates unflinching support for every step so far taken by government to stamp out corruption.

“In this vein, the National Working Committee identifies with the various probes by the National Assembly in exercise of its legislative oversight functions. Specifically, the NWC welcomes the probe by the House of Representatives into the management of the petroleum subsidy”, it said in a statement.

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eanwhile, in view of the usual ways probe reports are handled in Ni-

geria, the above can only pass for rhetorics. They may sound wonderful but the implementation poses some herculean tasks.

Already, there appears uneasy calm in the presidency over the report with the exoneration of both Otedola and Governor Dankwambo.

The same goes for NNPC which has denied committing any wrongdoing even as the 17 indicted oil marketing companies are threatening a N100 billion law suit against the House of Representatives, not neglecting the PPPRA which has challenged the House to prove the allegation that it stole N312 billion and also made 999 billion payments up to 128 times in a day to fictitious marketers.

While this holds, the biggest affront to the report that will leverage the culprits was the submission by the Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ali Gullack who said that the probe lacked credibility and “looks like the probe is targeted at some individuals”.

And he asked: “Why did they not invite Rilwanu Lukman? He was the Minister of Petroleum Resources during the period of the probe? Where is Mohammed Barkindo who was the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the time? Where are the other key actors who were at the vanguard of the subsidy regime?

The House of Representatives must probe these individuals before we can truly say they are doing the right thing, otherwise the report will lack credibility. What is worth doing at all is worth doing well”, he said.

Defending the President, Alhaji Gullack said: “Presi-

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The ruling party, PDP has also thrown its support behind President Jonathan and vowed to fully concur with the report of the investigation probe panel

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dent Jonathan is one person that wants things done and done correctly. He is the only President in the history of this country that has embarked on the cleansing of the oil and gas sector. He is the only President that has embarked on fighting corruption in the sector and for anybody to say

that Mr. President is sitting on any report is unfair and a calculated attempt to tarnish the good name of the President”.

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e said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been given the mandate to go into the matter and you will also recall that not too long ago, Mr. President approved the appointment of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, former EFCC chairman to help sanitize the oil and gas sector. The President is determined to do more if he is given the necessary support by Nigerians,” With the avalanche of denials, the somewhat leeway given to offenders by Gullack and pressures seemingly mounted on President Goodluck Jonathan, skepticism has taken the better part of most Nigerians who now wonder if he will live up to his word.

One has not forgotten that the reports of the Police Pension Fund Probe panel are still lying unimplemented.

But on the oil subsidy, only time shall tell.

Nigerians react to fuel subsidy probe

BY MOSES NOSIKE

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ldr, Chucks A. Omeife, FNIOB, CEO, Integrated Project Management Consult/Build Consults Ltd., President, Nigerian Institute of Building Yes, the subsidy probe and all its attention is a welcome development.

But I’m not too enthusiastic about the outcome bearing in mind how the outcome of similar probes has * Omeife gone! It is highly instructive for those in power to know that the cup of corruption and mismanagement is becoming full and that if definite action is not taken, it will be a great let down by this government to Nigerians. While some of the findings as reported might be alarming, it is important for the executive to institute further investigation so that the innocent ones will not suffer unjustly. With the report of such probes, I think that Nigerians in positions of trust will be more careful in doing things knowing fully well that they could be exposed in the future. No doubt, our democracy is growing and we have started the journey of self recovery as against the high level impunity that this country has witnessed in past. The level of greed and obscene primitive acquisition of wealth by some Nigerians in high places is unfortunate. This

brings one to the point of wondering at the level of sanity of these individuals and their cohorts! I definitely think that some Nigerians in high places are indeed insane and need psychiatric attention.

checks and balances institution of businesses including the government. I remember when I started my career in government, they have what is called financial instruction. I think those government agencies have those rules that are quite clear. Even the subsidy Godwin Ehigiamusoe, Managing process of payment obviously must have a Director, LAPO set of rules. e have to commend the House I think the challenge is that those rules are Committee that did the breached, and the only way to stop that is findings. It was an excellent work to sanction any breach of rules. looking at the report. The next step for us as a nation is for those who have the Akintokunbo responsibility for the implementation Adejumo, of the report to take steps.First of all, G l o b a l they should go through the report and Coordinadetermine whether there are genuine t o r , cases of people that need to be Champiretained. And secondly, there should ons For be specific action against those that are N i g e r i a found incompetent. Doing it is Organisation. important because one of the things we Enough is must do as a nation to further the e n o u g h , transformation agenda of the Presi- we know, dent is that appropriate sanctions are but sadly, given out to people who in one way or we have Ehigiamusoe the other breach our laws and been crying ourregulations.

On the feeling by Nigerians that the s e l v e s desired result might not come out of hoarse for the past three decades. The this report, lets first give the leadership of Nigeria is equated with administration the benefit of doubt that corruption, mismanagement, bribery, and we have a transformation government. a distinctive type of politics and The implication of that is that we talk democracy that translates into an avenue about transformation, that things are to steal. The civil service, as seen by the not going to be done the way it’s Pension Fund scandal and now the always been done. However, it’s too NNPC, PPPRA and Dept of Petroleum early for people to speculate that it will Resources are veritable conduits and be business as usual. This is like a test bedrocks of corruption in this country. for the transformation credential of Mr Can you imagine what the money they President. have stolen can do for the children and What do you think Mr President youths of this country? should do to prevent such Enough has been said about what we have occurrence in the future? always known to be true in Nigeria but we I don’t know but the truth is this, I know there are a lot of regulators and Continues on page 13

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BY ISHOLA BALOGUN & EBUN SESSOU

is enough and that is what we demonstrated when we held the subsidy protest. It is the culture of impunity that has been there for a long time.

Nigerians should organise themselves and at the appropriate time, we are going out in unity to march against corruption. Nigerians should know that these resources belong to them and it is not meant for the government. Therefore, it is expected that this thing shouldn’t be allowed.

We are being dehumanised—Soyinka

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he hearings have been held, but I think that future hearings should actually be held in public. It should be televised live. We are not talking about any kangaroo trial, or trial by media. No, we are just looking for an open examination of what is going on. I think we shouldn’t agree to leave

Bakare

Soyinka

Subsidy Scam Probe further hearings just only to the chambers of the legislature. I think these hearings should take place in public. We should hear those who are involved directly, attempt to exonerate themselves and give an

ecuting bodies to move. In all these situations, we have all been obviously ridiculed to the the whole wide world. We have heard the comments of the international monitoring community and what we who travel have to undergo from

We are being treated, not even like first or second class or third class citizens, when we are brushed in this way, we are being dehumanized

explanation for rational, ordinary people to speak for themselves.”

The relevant anti-graft agencies should prosecute those found culpable in the subsidy scam. I think there is enough prima facie case by the EFCC and ICPC and all other investigative and pros-

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commentaries against our nation, against our governance. The humiliation is just too excessive and I think it’s wrong that some of us have to bear this brunt of criminality and lack of conscience of other people.

So my demands are two things and they are very

Reactions of Nigerians on the fuel subsidy probe Continued From on page 12 always avoid it. Those government departments and agencies that have been indicted in the Oil Subsidy Probe have been shortchanging Nigerians ever since oil was discovered. It was not done overnight. If we decide to investigate further back to, say, 1980, the figures that will crop up will be mindboggling.

For the President to regain some measure of dignity and trust from his people,this is an opportunity to transmute what he always says about looking after our interest into reality. This is a

Now is the time to act to save our country —-Pastor Tunde Bakare etroleum subsidy re vealed an organised banditry which, in the words of the Lawan Farouk Committee, “can hardly be rivaled in the history of a warped budget management of any nation anywhere in the world”, reinforced our position in January that the crisis in the oil industry in Nigeria is not about subsidy but corruption.

The Committee said the following, and we fully agree: “We found out that the subsidy regime as operated between the period under review (2009 and 2011) were fraught with endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency. Much of the amount claimed to have been paid as subsidy was actually not for consumed PMS. Government officials made nonsense of the PSF guidelines due mainly to sleaze and, in some other cases, incompetence. It is therefore apparent that the insistence by top government officials that the subsidy figures were for products consumed was a clear attempt to mislead the Nigerian people”.

When the pension scam broke out, the three specialists working on Nigeria complained about overwork and threatened a law suit against Transparency International because they had to work 23 hours a day from Monday to Sunday just to cope with the figures coming out of that scam. Our client had to pull country specialists away from zero or low corruption countries such as New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Singapore, Norway, Netherlands, Australia, Switzerland, and Canada.

The specialists working on all these countries were transferred to the Nigerian Desk. Now is the time to act to save our country from the grip of corruption. To this end, we are giving two weeks to see concrete steps in the direction of prosecuting the indicted officials ,failing which we shall be calling our people out on protest.

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oyinka said: “All I can I say is that we have been overwhelmed into insensitivity by sheer excess.

I have studied very carefully those figures and I have had to take a couple of aspirins after every paragraph, after every figure to ask and pinch myself; are we really living in the real world? Or whether this is some kind of fantasy world which is projected onto the pages of newspapers.

These are not figures plucked out in thin air. We have listened very carefully, the sources of these figures have been cited, the reaction of House of Representatives have been noted; but we have not heard any of these figures disputed by the relevant instruments of government.

One can no longer use the words like disdain and contempt, we have moved beyond that. We are being treated, not even like first or second class or third class citizens, when we are brushed in this way, we are being dehumanized. It goes beyond just insults from arrogance of people who believe that they can get away with murder.

Just as we thought we had recovered from the pension scam, along came a humongous, material assault on the resources of the ordinary people. All that I will ask is a specific plea that the populace should be ready for another determined march on corruption.”

chance for him to regain our trust and love.

He will be advised, misadvised, threatened, pressured and lobbied by a devious and insidious combination of politicians and civil servants who are neck deep in this scandal, by fraudulent oil marketers and by others who see their interests threatened.

Mr President has to show that the buck stops at his desk. He can make decisions that will set the country back on the road to progress.

He must decisively deal with individuals in these departments; it is not NNPC or

Adejumo PPPRA that are stealing our money, it is the officials in those departments.

simple. Further hearings should be in public and should be televised.

Secondly, the anti-corruption bodies specifically set up, are already overwhelmed, but we should not wait until the burden is taken off our shoulders by external courts.

Nigerians must be prepared to march, they must be prepared to come out enmasse and demand a termination to this career of insolence against the ordinary people. These monies being stolen is intended for the people of Nigeria for genuine requirements.

Nigerians should know that these resources belong to them—Joe-Okei Odumakin t is clear that the crisis in the oil industry is not about subsidy but corruption.

The whole subsidy thing has extended the epidemic of corruption and this corruption has led to looting our treasury empty. We also know the adverse effect of corruption. For instance, we have maternal mortality, extreme hunger and poverty.

We have had our roads leading to the mortuary, terrorism and all sorts. We can no longer condone this.

It is time for us to wage war against this epidemic. We are demanding the prosecution of those indicted. It is said that no one is above the law but there must be political will on the part of the government to prosecute all those who have been found wanting. Those who have contributed in all these in terms of not seeking appropriation before spending should be penalised and be made to give account.

This is the time in our lives when we have to say enough

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14—SA TURD AY 14—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard MA Y 12, 2012 MAY

Peter Obi

I don’t think he can punish them —Okey Ndubuisi

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don’t think Jonathan can do anything to those cabals because some of them are his friends. Ever since Jonathan assumed the office as the number one citizen of the country, there have been several probes. We heard about power probe which they didn’t come out with anything tangible. Looking at the present administration, I don’t see anything at hand to show that Jonathan has the capability to deal with those cabals.

There is high rate of insecurity, no water; no light among others. In fact, there is nothing to show for his administration. Look at bad roads everywhere. He promised that there will be constant light when he took over from late Yar’ Adua but there is no light. I believe two years are enough for him to do something but, he is not doing anything. Every time they are talking about probe after probe and nothing comes out of the whole probe.

The problem is that some of those cabals are his friends.

They are running chop I chop government. Why I am so much disappointed with him is that, I personally campaigned for him with my own money and some of my friends were telling me then that the way I am campaigning for this man, what if he goes there and disappoints me, how will I feel?

I kept on telling them that he is God sent that he cannot disappoint me. Now, the problem is, how do I face those my friends who I was able to convince to vote for Jonathan? They keep on telling me that they regret voting him in.

They are blaming me now.

How many years will it take

Sunnylight

SUBSIDY PROBE

Nigerians doubt Jonathan’s ability to act

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BY ANOZIE EGOLE

Akachukwu Agbo

Okey Ndubuisi

I will advise him to sit up because as far as I am concerned, he has not done anything. He should wake up from sleep and save this country Nigeria

him to start working and address this insecurity issue in the country? The insecurity problems in the country are overwhelming and yet, he doesn’t want to do anything about that. These terrorists are they spirits?

They are human beings like us. He has security personnel like SSS, NIA, Military Intelligence and others, who can do the job. All he need to do is to give them instructions on what to do and they will carry out the instructions that’s all. But he doesn’t want to do it.

I will advise him to sit up because as far as I am concerned, he has not done anything. He should wake up from sleep and save this country Nigeria.

The remaining two years he completed during Yar’ Adua’s administration and this one year are enough for him to have done something. He should please try as much as possible not to disappoint those who trusted him.

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He can’t touch them —Sunnylight

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onathan cannot touch the cabal because he is also a member of the cabal.

He has been a member of the cabal since the removal of his predecessor Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State.

The cabal can simply be defined as the untouchables in the country. He knows the m but he can’t do anything to them. Where is the power to touch or prosecute the cabal?

His powers as the president are limited as to those cabals.

He cannot touch them. In this our country Nigeria, we have the untouchables, the people you cannot touch and go free and the cabal is among the untouchables.

He should face the problem of insecurity first before talking about dealing with the cabal because I believe that not all the bombings are being carried out by Boko-Haram.

During the time of Abacha,

there were bomb attacks carried out but they were saying NADECO was responsible for that.

Jonathan doesn’t have action. If he has action, how can he come and tell the whole world that BokoHaram is in his government and he still doesn’t want to deal with them? That is to show you that they are all part of the cabal. If you know somebody that is causing problem in the country and you fail to catch and deal with them, that means you are supporting them. Let us be truthful to ourselves. They are all in the cabal. In my village in Anambra State, in one village, we buried thirteen people that died in the north because of insecurity in the country.

During Yar’Adua’s time, he sent Jonathan who was his vice to go to South-South and plead with the militants who are his people where he spent up to a month, pleading with them to drop their arms. They did so. Jonathan should send his vice Namadi to go to the North and plead with the Boko-Haram who are his people to drop their arms.

I will advise the president to change his administrative tactics. Those untouchables should be touched so that people will buckle their shoes and know that he is now serious. He is the president of Nigeria and not only the president of Aso rock, so he has right everywhere. Now they are all talking about oil marketers and nobody is

talking about kerosene because it is not affecting them much. Kerosene is now N150 per litre. Those big men do not want to talk about that because they are using gas so they don’t know the cost of kerosene.

He has the power to deal with them — Peter obi

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e has the power to deal with them and he should deal with them. As the president of the counry, he has the power to deal with offenders of any type. If he catches them, he should ask them to pay back the money though if the money is recovered, we don’t normally know what they do with the money. Because if you jail them, they can easily bail themselves. There is no need of jailing them, they should be asked to refund the money. I will advise him to take a bold step towards dealing with the cabal.

The law demands he deals with them —Akachukwu Agbo

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ven if he didn’t promise to deal with them, it is in the law that offenders should be dealt with. So, it doesn’t matter if he made the promise or not. Whether they are a cabal or not is not the issue. The issue is that the law demands they are dealt with irrespective of the person.

The only thing is that he is not doing his work as the president very well. For me, I am not happy with the administration because of the incessant security challenges.

He promised to change Nigeria for good so he should go on and fulfill his promises without fear or favour. I know he is a God sent and he can do the job very well, he should not be biased by the challenges rather, he should device a means of tackling the challenges. He should not allow the country that has been entrusted into his hands to crumble.

SATURDAY Vanguard , MAY 12, 2012–15

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s. Arunma Oteh, the DirectorGeneral of the Securities and Exchange Commission, put her pretty little foot into her dainty little mouth the moment she asserted that Herman Hembe, had requested her organization to contribute the sum of N39m towards the public hearing of the investigation of how the Nigerian Capital Market almost collapsed. Mr. Herman Hembe was the Chairman of the probe instituted by the House of Representatives Committee on the Capital Market and Other Institutions. The implications are obvious. It was almost like a judge asking an accused appearing before him to fuel his car so he might get to the court in time. Ms. Oteh even drove the point home by demanding, rhetorically, if Hembe did not think that such a demand would undermine his capacity to carry out his duties.

President Goodluck Jonathan makes a fool of me most of the time

*will oteh get a fair hearing? *the stolen mandate?

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he following session of the hearing coincided with a meeting of the Economic Management Committee presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan. She sent a note explaining her absence, and further asked, in cultured tones, if she could be excused from further meetings while she would make written depositions to dispose of future enquiries.

The presiding chairman took umbrage at the very idea, and was hardly able to contain his disapproval of the request.

On the other hand, two other notable players of the Capital Market, Dangote and Otedola, were also absent and merely sent representatives without any explanatory note. Their absence passed without comment.

•Ms. Oteh The most recent session in which the top executives of the SEC ganged up, as it were, against their beleaguered boss has given more than a hint of witch-hunting when viewed from afar. It is for Ms. Oteh to vindicate her stand.

That should not be too difficult, though sensitive documents that are vital for clarifying such situations have a way of disappearing when most needed. But she will also have to address, and squarely at that, the issue of the controversial ‘Project 50’ which is supposed to commemorate half-acentury of Capital Market Regulation in Nigeria. An oftdemanded· answer is to the question of the sponsors. It has been asked, and would appeared to have been dodged, so doggedly that one has become intrigued as to what the answer could be.

The hearing continues next week. Already it might have sprouted a ramification in the shape of some indictments of a criminal nature. It is fair warning that, while a House of Representative Committee conducts a public hearing, the panel itself may be appearing before the bar of public opinion, or that of an even more potent justice.

President Goodluck Jonathan makes a fool of me most of the time. I am one of those naive characters that

take everything a president says at face value. I actually believed him when he vowed he would only present himself for one term as the president.

Those were in the days when it was perhaps difficult to affirm that he even really wished to be president. But no sooner he was sworn in as president than he raised that idea of a single-term presidency of six (or seven) years duration. That seemed in line with his vow to run for only one term, especially since he added that he would not contest in the proposed dispensation. But that was dispersed in the harmattan wind of last year, after which he began to wade through the

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he upshot was a rumpus that saw the resignation of the chairman, a reconstitution of the entire panel, and the resumption of the investigation with a vengeance. And I mean a vengeance. It was natural to expect that Ms. Oteh had asked for it, and would get it good and hard. That episode had cast a purple colour of expectant retribution on the investigation from then on, with Ms. Oteh striving to be undeterred in helping proceedings in that direction herself. A touch of arrogance attends her high-flying attainments by her nature, it would seem, and so a ploy to make her state, and overstate, her brilliance need not be contrived beyond merely asking her to favour an audience with her imposing credentials. While the display may excite the urge to applaud from her admirers, it never fails to get her foes’ danders up. It happened at the resumption of the hearing and set the scene for latter undeserved allegations of arrogance.

•President Jonathan time. The Vice President, on the other hand, has no inhibitions about that. The president keeps waffling.

Then, with little provocation, he shoots up with the intelligence that he is now on his first term. If he wanted to create a controversy, he got it. His good friends in the Coalition of Northern Leaders are very clear in their minds that he is on his second term already, and has begun to maneuver for a third term. They vow they would lead the rest of Nigeria to stop rest of him. The Nigerians?

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ut, in any case, why bring up such an incendiary subject in the fragile atmosphere of this insecure period? Is this, won’t you say, not a classic case of heating up the polity?

And when the heat has been

The presiding chairman took umbrage at the very idea, and was hardly able to contain his disapproval of the request

waist-high flood of insecurity in the country. That created the perfect atmosphere for double-speak at which the president is fast becoming an adept.

For instance, perhaps only Rueben Abati, whose enigmatic— and sometimes phlegmatic —statements are a fair match to the startling stance of his principle on some crucial matters, could tell whether the president does welcome a dialogue with the Boko Haram at this

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turned up, the “presidency” then floats down a bland statement of nothing being further from his mind, the very mind from which the argument emanated in the first place. Since the idea has come ashore, there is no turning away from it now any more. It is a veritable moot point into which all men may contribute.

This page can only consider the issue against the backdrop of what is fair to the unity of the country. All

members of a party should hold the constitution of the party sacrosanct. It is independent of any other principle or directive as long as it does not impinge on the law of the land with regard to the rights and privileges guaranteed by the individual’s liberty of citizenship. When a group of people then decide, on their own free will, to embrace a particular principle for choosing their leader, their course is in no way liable to a collision with the Constitution, which guarantees that freedom.

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he Peoples Democratic Party has (or had?) a rotational system of electing its presidential candidate, based on a clear zonal regime.

Cruel death disrupted the system; common sense ought to reestablish it. There is no room for any comparison with what happened to Truman after the death of Roosevelt in the United States of America. The Democratic Party is NOT the Peoples Democratic Party, nor is the United States the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The circumstances of our national life must be the backdrop against which we take our decisions. The Northern Elders Forum may not be able to lead all other Nigerians anyway, because this is a stand many Nigerians are capable of taking, and have taken on their own. The zoning system is already a political sub-culture. It already has my vote though, at the moment, 1915 is the last thing on my mind.

Time out.

16—SA TURD A Y Vanguard 16—SATURD TURDA anguard,,

MA Y 12, 2012 MAY

EKWEREMADU:

A Golden Journey With Destiny A

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Ike Ekweremadu his life.

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ll through history, there has been the endless contention as to whether great men and leaders are born or made.

There is a general belief among Africans, for instance, that a man’s life is preordained and ruled by the gods. This belief finds expression in so many proverbs, folklores and names in Igbo land. For example, it is said that a man whose Chi (personal god) is awake does not fall into a pit and that one in good terms with his Chi does not run after witch doctors. It is further said that a man who decides to lead or run faster than his Chi ends up in misfortune. In addition, prefixes/suffices like Chi, Chukwu, Nna, Olisa dominate Igbo names.

Yet, in affirmation of the Biblical parable of the talent, Igbos acknowledge that God is not a Santa Claus, hence the saying “Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe”. Transliterated, it means that if a man says yes, his Chi also says yes and vice versa.

Men walk their In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, for example, Unoka, the loafer father of Okonkwo, typifies the abundant instances of men who never said “Yes” in form of determined efforts to make success out of life. Unoka clears the farmland when others are already planting, preferring instead to flute away his time. Expectedly, he pines away in penury and debt, without a single traditional title to his name or a place of honour among real men in Umuofia. He dies a man whom Okonkwo is so pathologically resentful and ashamed of as his father.

Conversely, like the great men of Umuofia, Senator Ike Ekweremadu whose cap is already drooping with feathers of titles and accomplishments, is not just a man on a rendezvous with destiny, but even more importantly a man with the recipe of a perfect cocktail of destiny, determination, vision, and industry in perfect proportions. For instance, one of his relatives, Esther Ekweremadu, narrated how Ike Ekweremadu as a little boy would, with a chalk, write “Barrister Ike Ekweremadu” on their entrance door. The secret of his meteoric rise to power and influence lies in the fact that each time destiny leads opportunity (even if disguised in humble responsibilities) to his door, it

Ekweremadu from 2003 when he first came into the Senate and I recognize him as a very brilliant young man; he was a Committee Chairman on and off, but he was never discouraged even when he was not in a very important Committee or when it appears as if he was not being given a chance, he still maintained that calmness; a very courageous person, anytime he spoke on the floor of the Senate, it was obvious he was very conversant with the rules and was a very knowledgeable, articulate and erudite speaker.”

Senator Mark was not flattering him, for in that 6th Senate alone, Ekweremadu not only spearheaded the breaking of the jinx of constitution amendment and the consequent electoral reforms, he had 5 Private Member Bills to his credit, with the State of the Nation Address Bill and the River Basins (Amendment) Bills passed. He also co-sponsored 7 Private Member Bills. He sponsored 5 Motions and cosponsored 2 others.

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It is imperative to note that despite his preoccupation with national governance, it is also on record that his development strides in his immediate constituency as well as Enugu State

has always found in Ekweremadu a willing and well prepared partner.

Not many who know Ekweremadu today as Deputy President of Senate and Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament remember his humble beginning as an age grade leader at a very young age. He did so well that he eventually progressed to become the town union President of his Mpu community.

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hose who know the place of age grades and town unions in socio-political development in the South East would readily understand how much these experiences must have prepared him for his leadership positions today.

His growth from the ranks also showed so much in his presentations and great inputs towards the actualization of

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Aninri Local Government Area such that the elders of the new Local Government approached him to take up the challenge of putting the new entity on a sound footing as its pioneer elected Chairman in 1997. Though his tenure in that position was short-lived by the sudden collapse of Abacha’s transition programme, Ekweremadu’s achievements remain unbeaten. He put in place a brand new Local Government Secretariat in record time even with a monthly allocation of less than N2 million!

Given the superlative performance, one would have thought he should naturally have had an easy ride back to Office as Chairman during General Abdulsami’s transition programme. But that was not to be as he was blocked by an unprecedented electoral violence that nearly cost him

ot given to ‘Do or die” politics, he had almost quit the political scene. But the disappointment too proved to be a design of destiny to put him on the right track. When approached by Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, he accepted to run his campaign organisation and was appointed Chief-ofStaff at the Government House in 1999 following their electoral victory. Again, Senator Ekweremadu distinguished himself so well that he was elevated to the Secretary to the Government in 2001 where he also brought his tremendous administrative, managerial, and technical depth to bear on that engine room of government before progressing to the Senate in 2003.

However, it does appear that the Senate was all Ekweremadu’s leadership qualities and experiences needed to blossom fully. His achievements have attracted accolades among his colleagues, constituents, Nigerian media and public.

For instance, at the conferment of the Landmark Achievement on Constitution Amendment Award on Ekweremadu by the NUJ, the Senate President, Senator David Mark had this to say about him: “I worked very closely with Senator Ike

former Associate Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he had earlier bagged Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws Degrees, Senator Ekweremadu was able to squeeze out time to deliver over 11 public lectures in and outside Nigeria on themes of democracy, governance, and the economy, etc. Senator Zainab Kure summed up his pedigree in the Senate while nominating him as the Deputy President of the present Senate in June 2011. She described him as a “lawmaker ’s lawmaker...who has proved himself cerebral, hard working, result-driven, a man of integrity, a pan Nigerian and patriot of unequaled measures”.

It is imperative to note that despite his preoccupation with national governance, it is also on record that his development strides in his immediate constituency as well as Enugu State and indeed the South East in terms of federal projects and personal efforts on the platform of the Ikeoha Foundation have become reference points in quality representation.

Add these to the vibrant leadership he is already unleashing as the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, bringing it to the limelight and working assiduously towards the enhancement of its powers, then one can only conclude that at 50, Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu truly has the golden touch.

Uche Anichukwu, Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy President of Senate

TURD AY, MA Y 12, 2012 — 17 Vanguard, SA SATURD TURDA MAY

18 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, MAY 12, 2012 Aunty Julie, I dated a guy for seven months. He was my first love and so probably, I was seeing more in that relationship than there really was. He left me for another girl a year ago.

I should have stopped talking to him the same moment, but I was stupid and tried to make him come back to me. When the girl left him, I was by his side, but when he found another one, I just couldn’t stand it and told him I’d rather not see him again.

I know that this sounds stupid, but my mind has no influence on how I feel. I love hoping someone could love him, but he doesn’t love me. me but that makes no sense. I Everyone was telling me that just don’t know what to do. time heals the wounds, but it’s There’s one more thing I been a year and it’s only get- fear. I’ve always wanted to go ting worse. I miss him, I cry to UNN but that’s where my at night because of that. I’d do ex and his current girlfriend anything to be with him, even study. I’m afraid that I won’t for a moment, even to be able be able to bear this if I see to touch him. And I know I them together and it would be mean nothing to him, he prob- four years in the same univerably even forgot that I exist. sity. If I run away from him, Every time a smallest thing I’ll lose the last thing I want reminds me of him, I feel as if and can have. For a year, I someone has thrown a huge, haven’t been really happy and heavy stone inside of me. I I’m afraid I won’t be anymore. can’t ever imagine being with Even writing this makes me anyone else. I’m broken and cry. I just really don’t know

I get jealous all the time

I’m still in love with my ex

I’m worried about her sex life Dear Julie, I’ve been dating a lady who is a divorcee for five months.

She’s still very young and hot and she tells me she’s only had sex with five men in her life. Her behaviour with me was very aggressive and she has said things that cause me to suspect there may have been more than five men since she divorced. I’m in my 40s. Should that concern me?

Austin, Lagos Dear Austin, Since you are in your 40s, I’m guessing your girlfriend is also a mature adult. It doesn’t seem to me that the number of men she’s been with is the issue. Of more concern is that you question whether she is being honest with you and you aren’t comfortable with what you term her aggression.

At only five months, your relationship is still very new. You

are each still learning about each other’s values and histories, including your sexual pasts. This is a time of mutual exploration, discovery, and trust-building. Intimacy isn’t only about sex. It’s also about how much you share and when.

If you’re not talking about your concerns, you really should be.

That’s how trust is built.

Getting comfortable with each other’s bodies and sexuality is also an important part of early romance. As mature adults, you each have quite a bit of experience to bring to this relationship. You may each be used to having sex in ways that aren’t familiar to the other. It’s important not to come to conclusions about what those differences mean without talking it out. I think you should be focusing on learning how to communicate with each other and how to please each other , both in and out of bed.

what to do.

Teena, Enugu Dear Teena, It’s really sad that you have been feeling so sad for so long.

First love is often a very powerful experience. But you already know that your feelings are way out of proportion for a 7th month old relationship.

When someone becomes so obsessed and depressed that she can’t function, it usually means that there is more to the situation than a broken heart.

One way to figure it out is to ask yourself what you would be thinking about and doing if you were not so upset about the breakup. Is it possible that it is easier for you to maintain the upset than to face whatever it is that you should be attending to? Could it be that you are anxious about going to university, for example? Or maybe you are so afraid to open your heart to someone again; that there is a part of you that would rather be stuck than chance it.

If you don’t want to run into your ex at school, you could look into alternative places.

There are lots of worthy men your age in your city, in this country, and in the larger world. Someone out there is looking for someone just like you. In either case , you won’t find what you are looking for by sitting home and thinking about one failed relationship.

Most important, I don’t believe for a minute that you are broken and not worth fixing.

Your self-esteem and self-confidence have suffered a blow but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of attention and care. Please try and forget this guy. You deserve to be happy again.

Dear Julie, I’m in my second marriage and my third relationship with a guy. I feel myself getting jealous all the time with my husband, and I don’t want to be like that. My last two relationships were a disaster. My kids’ father cheated on me throughout our 15 year relationship .

I didn’t know he was cheating until towards the end. That was my first marriage and we eventually got divorced. Then I met another guy. We didn’t get married because the relationship didn’t get to that point. He travelled all the time and during one of his trips, he brought someone back with him and they started living together right away.

I moved on and met the guy I’m cuurently married to and relationship has been three years. I want this relationship to last but I always think my

Dear Lara, While it’s common for unresolved hurt from past betrayal to bring out insecurities in a current relationship, ironically, it may end up pushing your husband away if you don’t resolve your past hurts. When you bring up your jealousy with your husband, make sure that you own that it is your past, not him, that is the problem. Please try to address the underlying emotions that are feeding your jealousy and lack of trust. Thanks so much for writing in.

I’m sstill till a vir gin at 227 7 virgin Dear Aunty Julie, My name is Kate. I am 27 years and still a virgin . I have a boyfriend whom I’ve been with for five years. It’s really quite frustrating because we tried having sex on several occasions but it never worked. I usually tense up each time I come close to having sex him and make it impossible. I tend to do the same thing when I go to the gynaecologist as I make it impossible for them to do conduct tests on me. My guy and I are planning to get married. How can I get over this as I want to be able to have sex and get married and have kids. I am pretty sure my fiance who I have been with for five years would leave me and get on with someone else because I couldn’t have sex.

Kate, Lagos Dear Kate, You need a gynaecologist who will talk to you about how to solve the problem and not just give up on trying . If not, change your doctor.

There are a number of reasons that sex can be painful for a woman. Vaginismus is a muscle spasm that happens when a woman attempts inter-

C O C K - TA L E S Money Joke Like most women, Sandy loves going shopping, much to her husband’s chagrin. “Here take a look at this”, says her husband Tom, shoving the credit card statement in front of her. “You spent $250 at Macy’s, $150 at Nordstrom, $122 at Lord and Taylor, and another $225 at JC Penny. How in the world do you expect me to pay for all of this?”

“Well,” answers Sandy, taken aback, “I’ve been accused of many things before, but one thing I am certainly not is inquisitive!”

For the children A judge was trying to convince a woman filing for divorce to change her mind. “You’re 92 he said, you’re husband’s 94. You’ve been married for 73 years, why give up now?” “Our marriage has been on the rocks for quite a while” the woman explained “but we decided to wait until the

husband is cheating on me or talking to someone. It’s like I don’t want him going anywhere without me. I love him and I don’t want to be like that with him. He’s never given me a reason to think this.

Lara, Ibadan

children died.”

Who’s wearing the pants?

A man died and went up to heaven. Upon arriving he noticed two signs. One said “Men Who Are Bossed By Their wives,” the other one said “Men Not Bossed By Their Wives.” After closer inspection, he noticed that while next to the first sign was a big line, by the second sign there was just one man. After getting even closer he realized it was his friend Harry. “Hey Harry” the man questioned “what in the world are you doing here? Your wife bosses you around more then anybody.” “I don’t know” Harry replied “my wife told me to stand here.”

A prostitute I went out with my girlfriend and asked her, “Why is it everytime I go out with you, I end up spending hundreds of dollars?”

“Because I’m a prostitute.”

course. Then there’s genital warts, herpes, or other STDs, an injury or infection, or problems with the ovaries, uterus, or cervix. So the first thing to do is to make sure that you are physically okay by having a thorough physical exam.If everything checks out medically, it may be that you are right to diagnose the situation as “fear.” Once a woman has had a painful experience, it’s common for her to brace against pain. That tension causes the very pain she was trying to avoid. Then the next time she tries to have sex, she braces even more which makes penetration even less likely. Over time, the situation gets worse and worse.

If that’s the case with you, please consider talking with a gynaecologist who has experience treating such problems.

You can learn new ways to manage your fears so that you can relax. You and your partner can learn ways to help you calm and get ready so that you can enjoy the closeness of an intimate relationship.

You don’t need to give up on having the intimacy of a sexual relationship. It’s probably that you just need the right treatment.

The tri stages of sex in marriage1.Tri-weekly 2.Try-weekly 3.Try-weakly Special Favour A young couple gets married, and the groom asks his bride if he can have a dresser drawer of his own that she will never open. The bride agrees. After 30 years of marriage, she notices that his drawer has been left ajar. She peeks in and sees 3 golf balls and $6,000.

She confronts her mate with her findings, and asks for an explanation. He explains “Every time I was unfaithful to you, I put a golf ball in the drawer.”

She figures 3 times in 30 years isn’t bad. But what about the $6,000? He explains “Whenever I got a dozen golf balls, I sold ‘em!”

SATURDAY

Vanguard MAY 12, 2012—19

08056180152

Husbands w ho don ’t kn ow tth he m eaning o ncy! who don’t kno me off dece ecen

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ama junior”, she greeted but the woman snorted in reply and pushed pass her to the living room where her husband was, reading the evening papers. Her back was up.

“I’ve come to report this animal to you”, she shouted, her eyes flashed hatred and anger as she pointed to Rebecca’s husHand. “Wura (her 16-year-old daughter) was sent to your floor and your husband lured her into your flat. He told her a lot of rubbish about being alone and helpless and asked her to help him clean around the house. Since we were all family friends, Wura agreed to do the dishes. She was at the sink when your husband crept behind her, cupping her breasts in his hands. My daughter said she protested and your husband struggled “

to rape her until she started screammg.

“When he eventually let her go, her clothes were rumpled. I was so enraged when she came crying to me that I dragged her down here, thinking your husband would try to deny it. He did try but Wura contradicted him and he shouted her down. He said, in my presence, that he knew all her friends were screwing around, so why was she pretending she’d never had sex before? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Can you imagine this pervert telling that to a child that I virtually gave birth to in his presence?

How low can you sink? The other mothers have complained about him too.

This contracting jobs he says he’s doing, when does he have time for them? If this happens to Wura again, I’m not going to be as civilized as I am today, so please ask your husband to keep a tighter rein on his pants or

,

I

t was a most harrowing day with the traffic and Rebecca thought she couldn’t handle more stress as she made her way to one of the high-rise complexes she lived in with her family.

It was night already but thank goodness there was electricity. As she moved wearily towards the lift, she saw the typical ‘out of order’ sign and she nearly wept with frustration.

She lived on the ninth floor!

She took her time climbing the stairs until she got to the fourth floor. She met a group of housewives discussing in the corridor and all of a sudden, their eyes were on Rebecca. Some looked hostile but the majority had nothing but pity for her. Then it all came back to her; a few days ago, on a night almost as bad as this one, she’d just made her way to the flat when there was an angry ring at the door. She yanked her door open, ready to tell whoever the nuisance was off when she saw a neighbour with whom she was fairly friendly.

allocated to her. And that’s exactly what she did — though with much protest and bitterness from her spineless husband.

Some years ago, Francis, a

If this happens to Wura again, I’m not going to be as civilized as I am today, so please ask your husband to keep a tighter rein on his pants

there will be fire o”.

U

nfortunately, this would not be the first time Rebecca’s husband had humiliated her and she wondered why she still stuck to the marriage. Her cotenants’ tittering and sniggering finally put the nail on the coffin of her dead marriage. She would leave her husband. No, better still, she would put out his personal effects in the corridor—afterall the flat was

,

reputable lawyer nearly wept for joy as he watched his elder daughter being called to the bar. He’d already arranged for his bosom friend, also a lawyer with international connections, to take Rosy his daughter with him on his next trip. She could always tap into his frined’s professional network.

“Rosy was born in England” explained her father, “and she insisted on

doing her masters there.

Martin, my friend, was to settle her into a good school with a view to finding a reputable law firm for her to work with afterwards. Rosy wanted to work for a year or so to enable her set up a fairly comfortable flat before she went back to do her masters at the university of her choice.

When she phoned that she was coming on holidays some six months later, I was angry.

Who did she think she was, jetting up and down the place?

But she assured me she had a very important decision to make and I was to be part of it.

“As soon as the squeals of welcome died down, my wife blurted out: ‘You are pregnant?’ Rosy said “yes”, and before we started asking any questions, Martin came in.

The long and short of the story is that Martin said, almost proudly, that he was responsible for the pregnancy.

I wanted to hit him. I reminded him that all I asked him to do was put my daughter in school, not in the family way.

“In the end, it was resolved that Rosy should have the child abroad. Martin’s wife,

who was also a good family friend was bitter and bewildered. How could her husband humiliate her that way? If he wanted a third wife (he already had a second) couldn’t he look further afield than his backyard? All the children were thoroughly confused.

“Anyway, Rosy had her child, my first grandchild and stayed on in England. She wrote later that she had a good job and that as soon as her son was ‘old enough, she would take her to a nanny, so she could continue with her programme.

“You can, therefore, imagine my bewilderment when she showed up with her son who was now a year old, already pregnant again. She came with Martin and a determined glint in her eyes—they were getting married and it was obvious the least we could do was give our blessings. My wife looked really resigned and Martin immediately beckoned that his friends, who were my friends too, and who were waiting in a car desperate to broker peace should be let in.

But did I need that much persuasion to give my blessing to this awkward alliance with the second child on the way?

O

n the day the p p o s e d quiet traditional wedding was to take place at my residence, Martin came in with a couple of huge catering vans. Within minutes, tables, canopies and food items were set up. A combo band was in attendance and he announced with glee that he’d bought his new family .louse in Ikoyi and a posh car to boot. That rogue certainly knows how to make offers you cannot refuse - albeit grudgingly. I just pray the union last long enough for my daughter to cope when Martin turns his attention to yet another woman.” s

“

u

How to curb your man’s anger o you live with Mr. Angry? He is the kind of guy who loses it at the slightest thing—on the pitch, on the road, in the pub. He needs to learn that getting into a rage not only jeopardises friendship and jobs, it is very bad for your health. Extreme anger, say experts, affects your blood pressure and can even trigger a heart attack. So

,

D

If he loses his rag when he’s drunk, perhaps he should cut down on his drinking

how can you help your man keep his cool?

Encourage him to recognize his own flash

,

points and then to talk about what sets him off.

Suggest that he tries to avoid stressful situations.

If driving winds him up, maybe he should take the bus. If he loses his rag when he’s drunk, perhaps he should cut down on his drinking.

Come up with ways of diffusing that surge of energy—he could go for a run, pound a punch-bag (help you with pounding yam maybe?!) or pummel a pillow.’ Teach him that it makes sense to walk

away from a potential flashpoint. He shouldn’t wait for the other bloke to back down - losing face figuratively is better than losing your face literally. Above all, get him to understand that he should never act in the heat of the moment, chances are he will regret it later. It is better to calm down first and then plan the next move.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

and space constructively.

“You may not know how your partner feels until they speak, so avoid going in with expectations or assumptions.”

SMS (ONLY)

Surround yourself with friends and family .

Do you think you need a break?

J

umai and Danjuma began to live like cat and dog after three years of marriage. Jumai stopped trusting Danjuma after he made a pass at her best friend although it all seemed like a joke then, it was a joke that went too far. Things deteriorated between them and eventually, Jumai decided she couldn’t continue as there was no trust in their relationship any longer. They got separated (but not divorced) to clear their thoughts.

Are things strained in your relationship but splitting up feels like is a step too far? Some time and space away from each other might establish the right way forward.

Few relationships run smoothly all the time. You’re individuals, after all, with needs and interests of your own. Learning how to negotiate any difference is vital for you to function as a couple.

Sometimes, however, those differences can leave you both feeling as if there’s no option but to go your separate ways.

It’s a big decision, and one you need to make with your head as much as your heart.

In some cases, a break (or trial separation) can allow you to step back from the relationship and pinpoint the problems. As emotions cool, it gives you both a chance to question your future together.

A

break from your relationship requires planning. Unless you sit down and discuss how it’s going to work, you could be looking at a temporary split in name only.

You could also find the problems you had are still in place when you get back together. Even if you’ve reached the point where you’re finding it hard to get along, it’s vital to stay calm, be prepared to listen and keep a constructive attitude. Lead by example, and your partner is likely to do the same. You need to make a lot of considerations.

Identify why you could benefit from the break.

This will involve flagging up what’s gone wrong, so be sure to keep calm and avoid blame.

Agree on a timeframe.

You could be looking at anything from a weekend to a month or more. Basically, go with whatever feels right for you both.

Establish rules of contact .

During the break, some couples might find the occasional call to one another serves as a comfort. Others may find complete separation is the only way to handle the situation. Go with whatever works for you, but be sure to agree on it in advance.

Commit to the time apart .

If you’re tempted to view this

Opening up to people who care, and want the best for you, is the surest way of making sense of your emotions. You’re bound to feel wobbly at first, so lean on them for support.

Get back in touch with yourself .

Often, a

break as an opportunity to enjoy a fling without strings, think about the consequences first. If anything, it risks complicating a sensitive situation, so if there’s hope for the relationship, then

agree to stay faithful for the duration. Once you’ve negotiated a break that suits you both, it can still come as a shock to be apart. Good preparation is the key to softening the impact and allowing you to fill that time

relationship runs into trouble because you both feel suffocated by each other. This break should remind you that you also have a life of your own. Seize the opportunity to make the most of the things you feel unable to pursue as a couple.

Evaluate from a distance .

By reconnecting with yourself, it’s easier to identify what’s at fault with the relationship. Has it genuinely broken down, or do you feel it could thrive now you’ve had some room to breathe?

Consider what changes are needed. If you think the

relationship is worth fighting for, you’ll have to tackle your problems. Ask yourself what needs to change in order for things to

improve.At this point, only you will know how you feel about the relationship. For some, being apart might’ve woken them up to what they stand to lose. Others could just realise being single is what they’ve been missing all this time. Whatever conclusion you’ve reached, you need to negotiate things positively: Review the relationship together . Agree on a time

and place, and then give each other the opportunity to share how you both feel following the break.

Keep an open mind . You may not know how your partner feels until they speak, so avoid going in with expectations or assumptions.

This way, whatever the outcome, you reduce the risk of being disappointed.

But should you decide to give it another shot, be sure to establish ways to overcome your difficulties. Also agree to review how things are going on a regular basis. This way, you can address problems as they arise, rather than allowing them to grow.But if you decide to go your separate ways, then you’re doing so having handled a difficult situation to the best of your abilities. It won’t guarantee you’ll stay friends, but at least you’ll finish things on good terms.

He playing a double standard I am 27 years old. I have been dating my guy for 8 months but I’m having a problem. We are currently engaged.

When I started work, my boss was sort of hitting on me. I told my fiance and he went nuts. He told me to say something to him. He said I’m too nice and I can’t let this guy get away with this.

Well, recently my fiance started a job and his boss is a woman. She likes him.

So I told him to do the same things he told me to do. He won’t. Why is it different for me? We are in the same situation at work yet he won’t take action as to how he told me to. Why?

Austin, Asaba Ans: He is acting in an unfair way, but probably not intentionally . Underneath the apparent double standard is an emotional cause. Namely, fear. He was actually afraid you would leave him for the other guy. He may not even recognize that insecurity in himself and perhaps instead it came up as him getting angry and insisting that you do something about it. Underneath it all is anxiety.

The situation from his point of view is different at his workplace because his insecurity is not there about losing you.

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Perhaps he knows he isn’t really interested in this boss woman, and so he does not perceive any threat to the relationship at all. Hence, he sees no need to take any action.

So this pattern is really based on some underlying emotional aspects.

These are not being directly stated or dealt with in a mature way by either of you, actually. Fear, vulnerability and insecurity is that big, unwanted and invisible elephant that sits in the room, taking up a lot of space in a relationship and pulling many of the strings.

who is employed for marriage on 07066287372. *Eglon, male, dark, in is 20s, desires a lady of 18-28 on 08101044860. *Deji, based in Abuja, needs a decent lady of 18-25 on 08038942047. *Umar, 38, Muslim, Urhobo, needs a Muslim lady resident in Warri of 20-35 on 08157976231. *Ikenna, 49, based in Onitsha, fair, educated, from Enugu State, single dad, needs a humble, homely lady who is Igbo, graduate, employed and 40 or above on 08064537307. *Paschal, 30, male, employed, is searching for a lady to marry on 08035400073. *Gift, 27, undergraduate, based in Warri, needs a Godly man on 08136178263. *James, 31, employed, male, needs a lady for marriage on 08035440203. *Dr. Adono, 52, from Delta State, wants to meet a lady of 50-53 from Delta or Edo State on 08137929025. *Melody, male, tall, fair, based in Enugu, wants a beautiful lady of 22-30 on 08068461879.

Do you have reactions to our stories or have you any experience you want to share with our readers? Please e-mail,anyagafu2@gmail.com Do you want to be linked?

Neither Chioma Gabriel nor Saturday Vanguard has any relationship with anybody wanting to be linked. We have no agents anywhere and charge no fees. We have no personal information of people who have been linked or want to be linked and therefore, are not answerable for disappointments or embarrassments some people may encounter in the process.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012—21

S

A

fter the week long run we had staging AJAI THE BOY SLAVE, a stage play on the life and times of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther at the Agip Hall, Muson Centre from the April 24-29, I was bone tired. Rehearsals had taken place two weeks before this

info@katehenshaw.com

No rest for the living time. It was a successful outing, thank God for that.

The cast and crew were in top form and the play starred my humble self, O.C Ukeje, Carol king among others and also included oyinbo cast from the United Kingdom. It also offered a slave trade

,

ometimes you have one of those days when things get on top of you and you are at a loss what to do. You want to stop and say, am getting too old for this, but you know that as long as you are alive, you must work, get the dough, get going and make things work for you.

The bills pile up and at the end of each month, it is the same drill: staff salaries, electricity bills( how they calculate mine is still a mystery as my generator works everyday), diesel, generator servicing, water bills, refuse bills, refilling gas cylinders, shopping for food and sundry for the home, mechanic’s bills, satellite television subscription bills( my driver went to the bank this week to pay cash and was told they would not accept it any longer, I had to get a card and pay my subscription, I am still confused as to what that is all about), dry-cleaning bills, petrol to run more than one car in the home, vehicle particulars renewal, car insurance renewal, life insurance payments, the list is endless... and this is not counting sudden unbudgeted expenses.

of the days and she learnt a lot from the whole experience. I wonder if our museums have such artefacts on display. We really have a dearth of information on our heroes and those who have contributed in one way or another to our existence in this country. Data

We really have a dearth of information on our heroes and those who have contributed in one way or another to our existence in this country

exhibition to the public which also included on display, some of his personal effects, such as his personal mirror and it was a refresher course for those who had forgotten the story and a history lesson for the young children and teenagers who came from different schools. My daughter came with me on one

,

gathering is still alien to us unless it has to do with registration to vote for another election or registration of your sim cards. Once you are dead, you are totally forgotten or so it seems to be here in Nigeria.

Hopefully the late Rasheed Yekini will be immortalised in some way as he contributed in no small way to football, one

of the great loves of this nation. Going by the looks of his burial, it was lack lustre and did not befit his status in life.

I had a lazy few days after the stage play and now I have to start packing my travelling bags and head off to the United Kingdom to attend the premiere of a movie I starred in titled “THE ASSASSIN’S PRACTICE.” Shot both in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, it tells of the story of a failed stock broker trying to fake his death so his family could claim on his life insurance. He had lost all his investments and could see no way of facing life any more. However, things do not run simply to plan.

There is a lot of intrigue, suspense and of course, it is action packed; written and directed by Andrew Ukoku, the movie will premiere at the Odeon Cinema. Much as I love to travel, it is always an anti climax going away on

holiday or for a business trip but once you return to this country of ours, it seems one never went away. There are always a thousand and one things that require your attention once you return and this is after you have faced the heat at the airport, the wonky trolleys one pays for, the long wait for the only functional conveyor belt to bring up your luggage if at all it does and the traffic on the third mainland bridge heading to the island. You want to just turn back and travel again.

Welcome home you mutter under your breath, grit your teeth and resign yourself to what lies ahead.

A

famous musician once sang “the more money we come across, the more problem we see”. How true.

Money is handy and nice to have but it does not solve everything, else the rich would not need any more.

Finding time to enjoy yourself, treat yourself and relax is very important. All work and no play make Jill a very dull girl indeed. Life is for the living indeed and since we have only one life, live it right, regret nothing and do not dwell on mistakes. Touch as many lives as you can, positively, one day at a time.

We can only do our best and leave the rest to our creator in heaven.

Helping the internal environment

M

odern medical s c i e n c e now sees the tremendous sense it makes in keeping the body internally clean.

Indra Devi in her book ‘Yoga For You, Philip Rice and his book Oxygen-master of Cancer”. Dr. Rice entertains the opinion that cancer is caused by oxygen deficiency in diseased cells that start multiplying in order to get sufficient Oxygen. But this is not what attracts India Devi.

What catches her fancy is that the ideas expressed by Dr. Rice in cancer prevention closely resemble the Yoga

principles of diet, breathing, exercising and hygiene.

Just like the yogis, he believes it is important to keep the body internally clean by drinking enough water-one glass to every 14 Ibs of body weight on a daily basis and eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and salads. And cleansing the colon by taking enema about twice monthly to rid the system of accumulated poisons that are the cause of most of our ailments. I shall return to the subject of enema pretty soon.

See, we know the world is of two thirds water and a third land. The human body is built

The Spinal Twist (A Variant)

on almost the same ratio of liquid to solid. With this in mind, it sure makes sense to assume that the greater bulk of the food we eat should rather be from the vegetable kingdom to ensure that the food items, therefore, give us enough fluid for the proper maintenance of our bodies.

I am not preaching absolute vegetarianism here. I am only pointing out the necessity of eating sufficient vegetables and fruits.

I simply will not do to fill the belly with so much meat and white bread both of which contain no fibre. This lack of fibre presents a herculean task to the perislatic waves moving the digested food along the alimentary canal. Bowel movement is hampered and in the end constipation ensures.

With constipation poison accumulates, and we become heirs to otherwise avoidable ailments.

So what do we do? Simply eat well.

Hippocrates admonished long ago: “let your food be your medicine.”

Human nutition has become an immense problem of life.

The rich diet is acid forming as it is deprived of its alkaline requirements.

It cannot harmonise the acids of the stomach.

Meat (it pops up again!) For instance rots in the intestine forming gases which get into the alimentary walls. The blood is here surcharged with waste materials which block the capillaries chronic diseases, weakness and low vitality can be traced to the accumulation of waste matter.

Before we have gone far in the yoga exercises, I have thought it imperative to discuss the internal environment.

Once we keep our insides clean and watch what we eat, performing the exercises will then bring about great improvement quickly in our well being.

Now back to the business of taking enema.

Let it be known that there are various types but we shall for our purpose here concern ourselves with one of the simplest, namely honey enema.

Dissolve three table spoonfuls of honey in a quart of water, preferably boiled first and then allowed to cool down to room temperature. Assume a knee-chest position projecting the buttocks in the air and keeping the head, down then

The Spinal Twist administer.

In this position gravity helps the flow of enema through the descending colon across the transverse into the ascending colon.

For very effective cleansing, the complete filling of the colon is absolutely essential.

The enema must be held within for 10 to 15 minutes before dislodging the contents of the bowels.

For exercise we shall consider the twist posture. This posture belongs to the group of basic yoga postures as does the head to knee, the how and others.

22— Vanguard, SARTURDAY, MAY 12, 2012

Edited by Ogbonna Amadi amadi_o@yahoo.com

kaffy and fiance duirng the naming ceremony of their baby

y f f ff a K , n e e u q e Danc set to wed

BY OPEOLUWANI AKINTAYO

F

or those who think that Kaffy’s life is all about dance, they are bound to have a rethink now as the queen of dance plans to walk down the aisle with her lover and father of her baby, Joseph

Ameh.

Showtime gathered that the dance queen is presently excited and happy that she would soon dump her single mother status for a life contract of a married woman.

Kaffy will tie the knot with

her baby’s father, Joseph come June 2, at Bespoke Centre, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.

Her wedding is taking place exactly six months after she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, Kamal.

The traditional engagement ceremony is scheduled to hold earlier on the day of the wedding at the same venue.

According to our findings, the wedding will be strictly-byinvitation affair. But of course; some friends, family and extended family members, colleagues and clients of the entertainment industry are already penned down as guests at this historic occasion.

It would be recalled that dancer, Kaffy got pregnant sometimes last year. The news soon spread like wild fire as friends and fans suspected she was expecting a child. But Kaffy denied afterward, claiming that it was a rumour.

But months later, she was delivered of a bouncing baby boy on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at County Hospital, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos.

Mike Aremu’s Sax Appeal for July

A

fter a successful outing of Mike Aremu’s Sax Appeal 1, 2 & 3, the saxophone guru is getting set again for the next edition of the concert tagged, Sax Appeal 4.

The Sax Appeal concert, a concept of Ace saxophonist Mike Aremu-Obafere is geared towards the rebirth and promotion of live musical performances in Nigeria.

The event has had in the past, performances by leading Nigerian and foreign artists like the Grammy award winning American, adult congratulated the final five: contemporary and smooth jazz Ndukwe Ejike, Sunday saxophonist Kenny G, British Samuel, Surprise Yemalo, jazz urban contemporary Emmanuel Peters and Uzorka for coming that far in the competition.

“The contestants have done very well, even though it’s been hectic with constant rehearsals, shoots and

BY OPEOLUWANI evictions. However, the show AKINTAYO and your performance have added value to the bia State born LUCOZADE BOOST brand C o l l i n s from awareness and energy perspective,” Pfister said.

Onyedikachi Chinyere, Uzorka emerged winner, a.k.a, Mighty Collins has while Emmanuel Peters and again returned with a mind Surprise Yemalo came first and blowing Highlife album, second runners up respectively.

Onu Ekwuchafu Ihe They both went home with Ohuru(Owerri Bus Stop).

N500, 000.00 and N250, 000.00 The Computer Science/ respectively. The show was shot Math graduate from for GSK Consumer Plc by DM Adeniran Ogunsanya Audiovisuals.

College of Education(AOCOED) and graduate of Mathematics from Lagos State University respectively, isn’t into music engaging especially with the by mistake as he says he has acrobatic dance steps “so much pasion for singing.”

Having started music right displayed by JPX and his cofrom his secondary school days dancers.

Aside working round the where he used to sing for his clock to complete his debut class mates who in turn bought album project, he has been him a plate of food each for N30. involved in collaborations with Collins is an academics, renowned acts like J Martins currently a teacher in one of the schools in Lagos State. and Puffy T. Narrating his experience The singer who is the leader of a Lagos based Jazz Band known since he professionally got into as Sweet Beatz is a professional the music scene in 2003, Collins dancer, choreographer and a said his first album which contained songs like Onye Iro resourceful producer.

The young act is currently ‘anyi Egbulayi and Owukpa pursuing a degree in Computer Chineke Ji Kwuo was released Science at the University of during his second year in AOCOED. Lagos.

Uzor gr aduat Uzorkka, LASU under undergr graduat aduatee wins Lucozade’s Boost Freestyle Show’s Kia Rio “Dancing is beginning to pay off for me; and this is just the beginning of bigger things to come my way,” muted Hilary Uzorka, the proud grand prize winner in the sophomore edition of the Lucozade Boost Freestyle Show.

The Business Administration undergraduate of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo who boasts of having shared performing stage with the likes of Asha, vowed to take his acts beyond the shores of Nigeria after he was presented with a brand new Kia Rio for coming tops in the competition.

“I feel on top of the world.

I’m really excited; people haven’t seen anything yet.

Fact is; I am determined to take my game beyond Nigeria and bring back glory to Nigeria.

With what I have learnt at the

Y

JPX oung and fast rising Nigerian act, Joshua Praiz popularly known

close camp phase of the Lucozade Boost Freestyle Television show, I feel well equipped to go international and conquer;” added a visibly elated Uzorka who could not hide his emotions as he was handed the keys to the grand prize, a brand New Kia Rio by the Chidi Okoro, Managing Director of GSK Consumer Plc. Sharing his experience with our correspondent, Uzorka thanked Lucozade Boost brand for providing the platform for artistic young Nigerians to pursue their dreams adding that the show has served as a nurture ground for several young talented Nigerians.

Addressing the final five contestants of the show previously, Marketing Director of Mark Pfister

JPX Drops New Video as JPX has dropped the video to his second single, ‘Boju, Boju’ off his forthcoming debut album.

The artiste who is signed on to Mo’Vibez Records, a Lagos based record label, some few weeks back, released two new singles, Tonight and BojuBoju, which are currently receiving considerable airplay on different radio stations.

The new video which was directed by award winning young music video director, Mex, has a purposeful directing with a very quality picture. The video is highly

saxophonist and 2 time MOBO Award winner Yolanda Brown, Nigerian South Africa based guitarist, Kunleyo and South African Jazz and Afro Pop Singer Judith Sephuma.

Sax Appeal 4 is scheduled to hold on the 7th of July 2012 at the prestigious Expo Centre, Eko Hotel. The event will have in concert Nigerian born multiaward winning all-brother band Four Kornezs(UK), US based Nigerian guitarist and producer Agoola Shadare and the sensational Ara crooner .

Headlining alongside Mike Aremu will be another soon-tobe announced Grammy Award winning artiste.

Mighty Collins returns with Onu Ekwuchafu Ihe Ohuru

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Later on, he decided to move up the ladder thereby striking a deal with Broadbazed studio in 2006 where his second and also the third albums were produced respectively.

Onu Ekwuchafu Ihe Ohuru, his forth and newly released work is a four-track album containing songs like Onu Ekwuchafu Ihe Ohuru, Chi Gozie Anyi, Ugwu Kama Onwu Adigu Nina and Ya Gozie.

Produced by Eddie King of Broadbazed studio, Collins doesn’t intend to quit teaching for singing as he believes music isn’t an everyday thing. Although he has so much passion for music especially Highlife, he still sees himself as a better person combining music with teaching. The album is now in the market.

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, MAY 12, 2012—23

Edited by Ogbonna Amadi amadi_o@yahoo.com

performers and supported by the special delivery efforts of Omotoke Makinwa and Chris Onuoha, Benin was assured a night of glamour and fun.

But the shine was almost taken off the show with the absence of

By OGBONNA AMADI, Entertainment Editor

I

*Isabella Ayuk

t was a keenly contested pageant and at the end, Isabella Ayuk, representing Cross Rover State was adjudged the fairest of the 32 contestants and therefore was crowned the M o s t Beautiful Girl In Nigeria, 2012.

She beat Miss River S t a t e (Damitte C h a r l e s Granville), Miss Abuja (Ifeoma Umeokeke), Miss Kaduna (Joyce Ngozi Chidebe) and Miss Osun (Christabel Nkechinyere Okafor) to emerge winner.

And for her effort, the sultry beauty who smiled home with a N3million cash prize and a brand new Toyota Corolla car donated by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adam Oshiomhole, will be flying the

UNIBEN ffinal inal yyear ear sstudent tudent emer ges emerges Miss La Caser 12 Caseraa 20 201 S

aturday, May 6, 2012, would forever remain a day to be remembered for Antoinette Igebu, a final year Mechanical Engineering student of the University of Benin, as she emerged winner of the coveted Miss La Casera crown for the year 2012.

She emerged winner at the grand finale of the 2012 MGN held at the Best Western Homeville, GRA, Benin, Edo State.

Antoinette Igebu, age 21, 5.10ft height with statistics 34/27/38 who represented Gombe State in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) beauty pageant, was crowned as the new face of the La Casera brand out of the 32 finalists.

Antoinette took over the crown from the Miss La

Casera 2011, Miss Nwando Ebeledike after her one year reign, becoming the Sixth Miss La Casera. Her reign is expected to last for a period of one year during which she would serve as the brand ambassador for La Casera.

Presenting the new Miss La Casera with her One Million Naira Prize, the Chief Operating Officer, The La Casera Company Limited, Mr Prahlad Gangadharan announced an additional special prize of a brand new car as part of the 10th Anniversary celebration of La Casera in Nigeria.

“I am very proud to announce to you all that as part of the year ’s long celebration of La Casera 10th Anniversary, Miss La Casera 2012 would also be going home with a brand new

Picanto Car apart from the One Million Naira prize money”, he declared.

Fielding questions from pressmen immediately after the event, Antoinette who was visibly elated and could not hide her joy, told Journalists that she was overwhelmed and very proud to be selected as Miss La Casera 2012, as the face of the brand.

According to Antoinette, the most exciting part of being Miss La Casera is the fact that she would be serving as the ambassador for the brand and

Nigerian flag at the 2012 edition of Miss World pageant holding at Mongolia in November.

An elated Miss Cross River who also bagged the Best traditional costume award, moments after being crowned winner, praised God for the opportunity to win the crown while thanking members of her family for the support and prayers offered for her while she was in camp.

For the organizer of the pageant, the Silverbird Group, it was the icing to a beautiful night that also marked the company ’s 25 years of producing beauty queens.

Held last Saturday at the Best West Town Home Ville Hotels in the Benin the Edo State capital, the pageant which began at 8.15pm and was beamed live across the country by the African Independent Television, had all trappings of a world class.

With world beaters like 2Face Idibia, Banky W and Chuddy K spear heading the A- list

would be involved in many CSR projects for The La Casera Company Limited, through which the brand will reach out to the needy and less privileged in the Society.

*Antoinette Igebu

Governor Oshiomhole and most members of his cabinet.

They were still mourning the death of Mr .Olaitan Oyerinde, the Governor ’s principal private secretary who was murdered in his home by unknown gunmen.

The show began in earnest after the red carpet with the performance of Mr.Capable, Banky W who dazzled the audience with a slow and heart touching serenade that had the crowd yelling for more.

With his departure from the stage, came on the 32 contestants who formerly introduced themselves to the audience.

They returned soon to display a special choreographed dance with the music of Chuddy K in the back ground.

The swim suit parade followed and thereafter some of the contestants were eliminated leaving only 16 for the next stage.

For the first time in a long while, the audience were seemingly content with the judges choices as the countdown down race for the last five contestants began.

While the audience awaited the judges decision, Chuddy K the new kid on block, was brought in to the delight of t he crowd. His effort was not wasted on the audience as they made effort to sing along with him.

But it was 2Face Idibia who almost brought the roof of the hall down with his scintillating performance. With his performance over, came the tough job of announcing the winners. And the job was delivered by Mr Guy MurrayBruce, Vice-President of the Silverbird Group.

All the Winners Isabella Ayuk- MBGN and Miss World representative.

Damiette Charles Granville Ist -Runners up and Miss Universe Representative Ifeoma Umeokeke 2ndRunners up and Miss Tourism representative Joyce Ngozi Chidebe 3rd Runners -up and Miss ECOWAS representative Chritabell Nkechinyere Okafor Antonette Igebu, Miss La Casera Miss Photogenic- Omoye Mary Omobbude Miss Amity- Grace Onuoha Miss PRO Select- Tomilayo Salami

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

BY IYABO AINA

John TTrravoltltaa sued by two male masseurrss ffoor sexual battteerryy

J

ohn Travolta has been plagued by gay rumors for years, and two new lawsuits certainly will not help put them to rest.

After a male masseur filed a $2 million lawsuit on Friday claiming that the married-with-children actor propositioned him for sex after hiring him for a massage in Los Angeles on January 16, a second man made a similar claim on Tuesday morning.

In the new fling, the unidentified masseur — who is also suing for $2 million — reveals that he was also propositioned by the “Old Dogs” actor, this time 12 days later on January 28 at a resort in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was staying while filming “Killing Season” with Robert De Niro.

When the masseur arrived at Travolta’s room on the 15th floor, the 58-year-old had “a strange demeanor, bloodshot eyes,” according to the lawsuit. Once on the massage table, he removed the towel that covered his buttocks because he complained it was too hot, and then demanded a massage on his “glutes.” During the massage, Travolta — who went by the name Mr. White — kept spreading his legs to expose his erect you-knowwhat, says the masseur. He then

•Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston’s family hires armed ds ar ound her guar guards around grave ...as mother releases new gospel song

S

•John Travolta

turned over and tried to force the plaintiff to touch him. With 15 minutes left before the massage was over, the actor then began masturbating, so the masseur left the room. He claims he complained to his boss, but “to no avail.”

After the new filing on Tuesday, Travolta’s lawyer, Marty Singer,

responded strongly to the claims. “The problem in America is anyone can sue anyone. However, in this case this unidentified plaintiff and his lawyer will regret they filed this fabricated suit. We intend to sue both of them for malicious prosecution.”

JUSTIN BIEBER finally graduates from high school!

•Justin Bieber

J

ustin , who has already achieved great success and popularity at the age of 18, has

just graduated from high school. Who remembered that aside from making waves in the pop music industry packing up on the PDA with girlfriend Selena Gomez, working with celebrities and being the second most followed celebrity on Twitter, the “Boyfriend” singer had been doing schoolwork?

Bieber told U.K.’s Daily Tel-

egraph “It was hard doing school and work every day.”

We imagine it would be. What kind of teenager wants to hit the books when you’re rich and famous? The kind who loves their mother, of course. The pop star explained“That was something my mom really wanted me to do, so I had to do it for her. I mean, this kind of lifestyle has given me a different perspective on life.”

But it seems Justin won’t be continuing on to college, as he added“I’ve been able to travel the world.

At school, usually you have to do a lot of writing and reading. I’m really not into that stuff. I like to be out there.”

hortly after her funeral, an armed guard was temporarily hired to patrol Whitney Houston’s grave in case robbers should target the £300,000 (or $500,000) worth of jewellery she was buried with.

However it seems the threat of graverobbers is still very real as the late singer ’s family have now requested security guards to keep watch over Whitney’s resting place on a more permanent level.

A guard was seen patrolling the site at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey.

In the same vein, Whitney’s mother has released a new album of gospel tunes, her first new music since her daughter’s death and in more than a decade.

Cissy Houston’s “Walk on By Faith” was released by Harlem Records on iTunes this week and includes songs such as “Living Shall Not Be In Vain.”

Harlem Records rep Bill Coyle said Wednesday her last album was in 1997.

He says she started working on the album last year and musically arranged all four tracks.

Cissy Houston has kept a low profile since her superstar daughter died in February, giving just one interview.

Whitney Houston was 48 when she drowned in a Beverly Hills, Calif., hotel bathtub on the eve of the Grammy Awards.

An autopsy showed cocaine played a role in her death.

Lat tying lands Rihanna in hospit al Latee night par partying hospital F

or the second time in a mat ter of months, the “Talk That Talk” singer has had to be hospitalized following non-stop touring … and partying. Her latest trip happened after a late night of revelry following Monday night’s Met Costume Institute Gala in New York City.

On Tuesday, Rihanna, 24, posted a photo on her Twitter page of her arm hooked up to an IV drip. Although she did not divulge any information

about why she was ill, a source tells “Entertainment Tonight” that she “had a fever and flu since last week and needed an IV but is fine now.”

Indeed, Rihanna was so under the weather on Saturday, she skipped her final dress rehearsal for her “Saturday Night Live” performance, which reportedly infuriated the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels.

“Rihanna was sick and needed to save her voice for the live

show,” her rep later clarified.

But any illness didn’t seem to slow her down — because she was back out on Monday for the fashion soiree. Clad in a supertight Tom Ford crocodile-embossed gown, Rihanna partied until the wee hours and posted photos on Twitter of her with La La Anthony, Sarah Jessica Parker, and rapper Rick Ross.

And just a few days before that, the “Where Have You Been?” singer hit up a strip club with

her entourage. In photos she posted from that particular night, Rihanna is shown showering many of the dancers in cash as she drinks a clear liquid from a cup.Rihanna tweeted a pic of her IV. (Twitter) “Rihanna loves to party but this past month she’s gotten really out of control,” a source tells Star magazine. “She’s been drinking almost every day and talking about smoking weed a lot, too.

•Rihanna

12, 2012—25 SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12 If you ever run out of things to say to your wife, here are 10 fun sex questions to ask your wife/partner. Don’t be surprised if asking these questions ignites a spark that leads you deep into a very long, very memorable night.

1.“What’s your favourite part of sex?” Knowing her favorite part of sex will make you an even better partner and talking about sex will keep her mind firmly where you want it: on you and the act the two of you are about to perform.

2.“Which fantasy do you most wish could come true?”

Maybe you can’t make her fantasy come true, but asking this question will give you good insight about what your woman finds hot and will add more ammunition to your love arsenal.

3.“If I could only touch one part of you to turn you on, which part would it be?” Although this seems like a total no-brainer and might possibly go without saying, when she tells you what part it is, touch her there. And repeat as necessary.

4.“What’s the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done?”

10 Only ask this question if you’re not going to get jealous about her answer. A better tactic might be to listen to her answer and ask her a fol-

How to seduce her

sex questions to ask your partner low up: “Would you do that again with me?” If her answer is yes, do everything you can to make it so, buddy. If no, well, at least you got a hot

A lot of guys just don’t have a clue what it actually takes to seduce a woman. If you follow these steps, seducing her will be easy. These are the easy steps to ensure that you will be able to do that quickly.

1.Say sweet things to her. Guys, if saying sweet things doesn’t come naturally to you, then practice.

Women love this and it is important to do if you want to get down on it with her. You can start by telling your wife that you missed her or she smells great. You will be shocked at how saying sweet things to her will help you get into her head.

2.Agree with what she says. Women love to think that they are always right, so always agreeing with her will help you seduce her easily. If you have a hard time agreeing with her, just smile and tell her she is so smart when she says something that you don’t agree with.

3.Give her gifts. The gifts don’t have to be expen-

story out of the question.

5.“What was the first sexual thing you thought about me?”

Reliving those first feelings of sexual attraction will leave

you both feeling a little starcrossed and sweaty. Definitely a nice segue to a hot makeout session, which can go any which way you both want it.

6.“What’s your favourite thing I do to you ?” This is definitely good information to file away for future encounters. Who doesn’t like hearing how awesome they are in bed?

7.“What’s your favourite place to be kissed/licked?” Kiss or lick her there. Then ask for her next favourite and perform the required oral action. Ask again—work your way through her top ten favourites. If she’s not putty in your hands by the time you’re done with the first ten, start over from the top. Revisit this list on a regular basis.

8.“What’s your favourite position?” Be prepared to try it out, but not so frequently that she gets tired of it.

9.“What would you do to me if we were alone right now?”

When she tells you, play dumb and ask her for a demonstration and pretend like you still didn’t understand. Repeat.

10.“Ready for round two?” Pretty self-explanatory.

Why are you still reading this article? Go give your wifey a pop quiz and grade her on her curves!

sive or even cost a penny. Most women just love the thought behind the gift. If money is tight or you just don’t want to spend the money, pick some wild flowers for the woman. Your free or inexpensive gift could be rewarded by the women letting you work out things with her.

4.Do what she wants to do. How bad you want to get on with her will depend on how many things you do with her that you really don’t want to do. To make this easier on yourself, ask her to tell you a lot of different things that she wants to do. This way, you might be able to chose something to do that you both would enjoy.

5.Be nice to her friends. A woman is going to be more likely to let you do business with her if you get along with her friends. Even if you don’t like her friends, you at least need to be civil to them. If you can’t stand her friends, just bit your tongue and smile when you are around them.

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

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lara is pregnant again.

The news hit me like a physical blow. I can only stare dumbly at my friend of more than a quarter of a century as she elatedly announces she is five weeks gone. It is her second pregnancy in less than two years—a development that catches me completely off guard. It is with tremendous effort that I put up a straight face. I hug and congratulate her. I try to be happy for Clara, but inside of me is a strange, cold, nagging sensation. I try to push it away and be really glad for my friend, but I’m baffled when the feeling persists . It takes me a while to realise that what I’m feeling is jealousy. I’m jealous of Clara’s pregnancy.

“Hey, isn’t it time you guys started your own family?”

Clara asks innocently. I put on a brave smile and tell a lie in a way that is not too obvious.

“Oh, we’re about starting. We are working on it.” But inside of me, I’m livid with rage. I’m so very upset I’m almost choking. My body tightens up, I begin to tremble. The tears well up;stinging my eyes.My mind is in turmoil.”Is it my fault?” I ask mentally. Am I not trying my best? Clara is my friend but see how she treats me. See how she is showing off to me. What sin have I committed? Is it because she can easily get pregnant whenever she wants to? I feel so bad, so depressed, so let down. But I force back the tears and swallow the tight lump in my throat. I try to smother the angry, hurt and irrational side of me that wants to rise up and smash her smug face with my fist.

B

ut something goes “snap” in my mind and I retort: “So you are pregnant again? By the way what’s the rush? Didn’t you just have a baby last year?

Why not keep those legs of yours together for a change?

Slow down and stop being so selfish! I exclaim. The words are out of my mouth before I know it and even as I take in the look of horrified shock on Clara’s face, somehow I feel no remorse. Clara is my best friend, but why am I complaining? We have been friends for as long as I can remember. We got married a couple of months apart, but while Clara’s marriage has been blessed with a daughter, I’m still hoping for the fruit of the womb, and here she is telling

overtly anxious, but you might be right to conclude that I’m deeply concerned about the fact that a baby has not come to further firmly tie the strings of love in marriage.

You might even be justified if you concluded that at 36, age is not particularly on my side or that I’m not exactly young to be a first-time mother. But I fail to see the point when people are congratulating themselves and keep asking questions such as “So when are you going to have children?” or “Don’t you think it’s time you thought of getting pregnant?” Perfectly straightforward and reasonable questions, but if only the enquirers knew what torture these words are to me.

D

*Pregnancy...the joy of every genuine marriage

on’t get me wrong. I love children and nothing would make me happier than to have my very own. But I’ve learnt to live with the torture of being taunted and also to lie politely. I’ve been told my husband and I are infertile, but the truth really is there’s nothing physically wrong with either of us. We’ve had all the tests, and they’ve all come back with a perfect OK. Nothing’s wrong with either of us. We just haven’t conceived yet.

But how can I tell these my

My friend gets pregnant,I get hear tbroken me she is expecting another baby.

So don’t even ask me if I’m happily married because I honestly do not know. I’m not even sure if it can still be described as a marriage in the real sense because things have changed dramatically.

Lately, Johnson, my husband of five years, is no longer the loving, caring and doting man I vowed to be with till death do us part. I’m not under any illusion that the most probable reason why things have so changed is because I’m yet to have my own baby, or, to put it more bluntly, I’m yet to bear him a child.

Sincerely, I do not care anymore. But before you begin to judge me, it might help if you considered the fact I have been trying for a baby without luck for as long

,

I’ve been told my husband and I are infertile, but the truth really is there’s nothing physically wrong with either of us

,

*Pregnancy...the concern of every mother as I’ve been married. I’ve apparently super-fertile friend tried everything. I’ve about my inability to conceive? been to hospitals, I find myself drifting from Clara churches, mosques and as she embarks on a new phase even shrines. I’ve been of her life that I can’t follow. I’m everywhere, done being left behind and it’s painful, anything and all things, it’s hurting, it’s heartbreaking. I yet no luck. I’ve seen try. I really try, but I can’t seem every reputable medical to cope. expert in town, but for How can I tell Clara about “the some inexplicable reason, waiting”. That every month for pregnancy continues to over three years, two weeks of elude me. It’s not that I’m each month are torture for me

as I wait to see if perhaps this month, things have worked.

And just in case they have, will they last? How many times have I worried myself sick over this development?

J

ohnson, my husband, has always had a rather peculiar attitude towards the whole matter. It’s not that he complains or blames me or anyone in particular for our woes. On the contrary, he’s been supportive to an extent.

We’ve been through all the tests together. He’s always been there, but only physically. I cannot help feeling that his mind isn’t in it.

Much of the time, he says nothing at all. He doesn’t talk about it or express emotion whatsoever. He’s just so quiet and “nice” all the time. He’s almost indifferent. Certainly, he wants his own child because I’ve often see him looking longingly at our neighbours’ little children as they run about laughing and playing in the compound.

“Don’t worry, Alice my dear,” he would say.”Let’s trust and hope in God. It is well.” This is about the only remark I can ever remember him expressing since our childless ordeal began. He’s always so calm even when I’m going out of my mind with worry. I’ve often been tempted to wonder if he’s up to something funny... but I’m in no position to prove anything. Nevertheless, this attitude of his really kills me.

I’m ever so pained because I know he desperately desires to be a father as much as I’m longing to be a mother.

R e c e n t l y , someone talked to us for the first time about Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) and I got to know about IVF. We have learned a lot and are still learning. But I’m convinced this is the solution to our problem.

I’ve never felt so convinced of anything in my life. My first cycle is today yet here I am asking what if it doesn’t work.

Where do we go from here? It sounds incredible, but the worst of all of this is that I don’t even know why I want children. I can only describe it as a desperate longing inside me, a physical ache. Each enquiry of “when are you going to have children” still hurts so much I can barely breathe for the pain. But I’m learning to smile, reply, and turn away and carry on desperately hoping that maybe, just maybe, this cycle will be the one.

SATURDAY

Vanguard Vanguard,,

MAY 12, 2012—27

28—Vanguard, SARTURDAY, MAY 12, 2012

and will soon be released on DVD officials said..

ARA ON HER FAILED MARRIAGE:

‘I married my ex-husband because I was shut out of the world’

One of Africa’s leading female drummers and singers, Aralola Olumuyiwa popularly known as Ara, will certainly not live to forget her past in a hurry.

Few years ago,she got married to her ex-husband, Prince Nurudeen Olalekan Saliu, a marriage she described as her “greatest undoing.” In this interview with Showtime Celebrity, Ara explains the circumstances that led her to go into that marriage, her present predicaments as well as the plans she has for tomorrow. but it didn’t click.

This guy was somebody I’d dated beBy AMADI OGBONNA, tween 1994 and 1995 before he left the Entertainment Editor country. He messed up in the process, otherhood seems to have tamed causing our break up. Later, he reyou. You’re more relaxed than turned to me and I forgave him. But he the last time we saw you before your messed up again and I forgave him again. After a while, he left Nigeria and marriage I told myself that I was done with the Yes, it has. relationship.

So how has it affected you?

But it then came to a point, when I Before I had my son, I had always needed a shoulder to lean on and he loved children and I used to visit was the only one who could stand the orphanages to spend time with the kids.

So, when I had my baby, it softened me pressure from my management. So, I and made me appreciate life and God found in him a friend again, somebody I could naturally share my problems the more.

So whenever I’m down and losing with. But naturally, he would never have hope because I’m human, I look at my been my choice in terms of my kind of boy and realize I have a reason to go on man. It happened that he was the only in life because God has given me this one around me at that time I could talk gift for a reason. I asked God for a boy to because I realized a lot of things went and I got everything I asked from Him. wrong with my management deal and So, you probably asked God for a set up. So, naturally, I gravitated towards him. husband too?

So you married him out of sympathy?

I didn’t.

Yes that was part of it but there’s more You didn’t ask God for a husband? to it that I can’t talk about.

No, I didn’t ask God for my exSo finally, it ended. How did that feel? husband. At that point in time, I didn’t It hurts for one reason because I never see any need to ask and that was the prayed for my child to come from a greatest mistake of my life.

You walked into it with your eyes shut? broken home. I regretted the marriage and everything but I don’t regret my son.

Yes, I did.

You were at the peak of your career My son came to me at a time I needed and all of a sudden one heard that you someone of mine. But now, he can’t see were getting married and nothing was his dad the way I would have wanted heard of the guy before. What did you him to because I’m separated from his dad. see in him?

But you’re still very good friends There’s so much I can’t talk about on I wouldn’t say we are good friends at the pages of newspapers. But at that the moment, but we tolerate each other time, some things were programmed and you can’t walk away from it. The because sometimes he needs to speak major thing was that I was leaving with his son and I wouldn’t deny him things with my management for years access to the boy. Recently, he had anand was shielded from the world. I had other baby from another woman and I no friend, I didn’t socialize. And I wasn’t cut off from him totally because this is allowed to do so not because I didn’t Nigeria and I need to protect my son want to. Even my parents did not have and myself.

I wouldn’t want a situation where his easy access to me during that time. It new woman would think her man is comwas that bad. At a point, I was told he ing back to me. She ’ll see me as a threat was the best for me, that nobody loved me and wished me well, that the only to having her way in the man’s life. The person that wished me well was my man- moment he had another son, I warned agement. And of course, I bought the him to stop calling my son the way he story. It got to a point that my mother used to, not because I don’t want him to fought her way backl into my life as she but because I don’t want to have probrefused to go and I really appreciated lem s with any woman.

Does he take responsibility? her coming into my life at that point in Not at all. I’ve been the sole provider time. I tried dating during that period for my son.

M

You talk like someone who isn’t interested in any relationship again?

I wouldn’t say I’m seeing anyone at the moment. I wish I could. I want to but I don’t know who to trust and I can’t allow anybody into my life because I’m answerable to my son. I can’t afford to allow him see many men in my life. I want him to grow up knowing that I’m a responsible mum who did everything to give him the best in life.

The father isn’t there so I’m both the father and the mother. I have so many men who are saying they love me but I don’t know them. I want to know them but I sense that they are not genuine.

They just want Ara but people would say how would I know them if I don’t give them a chance. But the thing is that I smell a rat. My heart was broken and I’m a very emotional person. I’m sensitive and naturally show so much love and I want it too. But I find it difficult to see love around me. I keep saying that my sister-in-laws are lucky to have my brothers because I see the way my brothers treat their wives but I don’t see most of it out there. And because I look younger than my age, I get more of younger toasters and I can’t do that.

Talking about love, is it that while growing up, you lack love?

There was love in my family. I’m my father’s ‘last wife’ because I’m very close to him. Like I said, my sisterin-laws are lucky to have my brothers because they saw a love-filled environment My brothers understand what it means to take care of a woman. So what it means is that, let me just say that I find it difficult to trust. I’m not trusting and anyone shouldn’t blame me. There’s so much pressure on me from men but I’m just not seeing it now.

You’re not available for now?

I am but I’m not trusting.

Of all instruments, why did you pick the love for percussion?

I don’t know where I picked that up from.

Does anyone play that in your family?

Except in my extended family, my mother’s side. I grew up in Warri and from my primary school, I’ve been the head of the cultural group. In Akura where I schooled, I was the social prefect, the head drummer. I won a lot of competitions, beating all the boys hands down.

How did it feel being the school drummer while the boys queued up behind you?

It was fun and I had those stars. It was

Id ask for m hus

a lot crazy in secondary school because all the boys wanted to know me but I was a tom-boy who didn’t give a damn about boys. Besides, I grew up in a house full of guys. But guys would think because I relate with them freely then, I liked them and wanted to date them. But it was so because I grew up in a home with all-guys. So I relate more freely with guys. I found myself doing those things that got me into a lot of trouble in school. I used to sneak out of school to eat and it wasn’t because I was from a low class home.

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, MAY 12, 2012 — 29

I was from a well-to-do home.

I was in a boarding school where we had rodents in the beans and I couldn’t eat their food sometimes. So I used to go to the hostel mistress to ask for permission to go outside and eat but she wouldn’t allow me to go. So what I do is to wait for her to go inside and make sure that the gateman is also away from his post and I’d sneak

outside to eat, buy bread, sardine and other things to eat. But whenever the school authority found out, they’d bring me out in front of the assembly and embarrass me but the next day, I’d be gone again. Way back then, they actually thought I was going out for boys, they didn’t know that I didn’t even care about boys.

I didn’t know what it was to date a boy until way after my secondary school and people were shocked about it. I was just having fun.

Being the head drummer, my first perfor-

CDs of the musicians I’d known over the years because my father loves music till date and we used to listen to Fela, Ogunde, King Sunny Ade, Obey and others. So I started learning and that’s how I started playing the talking drum.

How has being a female talking drummer affected you?

When people see me, they just make their hands into the talking drum and I just laugh. People go crazy about me especially women. You know men pretend a lot. It has opened doors for me and that’s the instrument God used to bring me out. It has brought about positive returns in my life and I thank God. So what was it like the first time you played the talking drum?

That day, before I got on the stage, I was jittery because I knew I was breaking a major tradition. And I wasn’t sure of what would happen thereafter but I

,

didn’t k God my exsband.

mance on stage was at Adegbemile Cultural Center in Akure. I went back to Akure recently and I stood on that stage and had a nostalgia of where it all started from.

So when was the transition from drums to talking drum?

I had always loved the talking drum but what kept me away from playing it was because I saw that it was played by only men. I was very inquisitive and would ask my uncles and aunts why it was played by just men and if I could touch it. Then, I was close to an old man called Olopade but we called him Bami Lopa Come. He’s from Ondo State but he’s late now. So I’d go to him, carry his drum and my great grandfather had a place in Ondo town where drummers were . So I had access to all these drums. And from my maternal side too, I’m a descendant of Alaafin Of Oyo. So naturally, when the brand Ara was being formed, I tried my hands on the saxophone, acoustic, drums and those days at the big resort owned by my manager, they had talking drums as the door bell. So one of those days, instead of just picking the stick and hitting it to indicate that I wanted to come inside, I just picked it up and start playing it. Although it was the souvenir type of drum , I started making sounds with it. Someone then noticed how I made sounds with it and asked if I wanted to play it. I told him I’d always wanted to. So my manager asked me if I was sure and I said yes. But he drew my attention to the fact that women don’t play it but that if it was something I wanted to do then, I should go ahead and give it a try. So I got the real one. He wanted to get the band members to teach me but they said they didn’t know how to teach me. So I bought the

My son came to me at a time I needed someone to talk to. But now, he can’t see his dad the way I would have wanted him to because I’m separated from his dad.

,

was sure I wanted to do it. Then I had a dream the day I had my first show, I had dressed up and was waiting for my bodyguards and just laid on the pillow for like five minutes. Then I saw a vision which I wouldn’t like to share because it’s personal. But that was what gave me the courage.

What was the reaction the crowd like?

Wow! They were at first skeptical about me and if I could play it. But when they heard me, they went gaga because they didn’t believe I could. Then they applauded and gave me a standing ovation because after I was through, I did a full split. I noticed that people who play talking drums are back up instrumentalists.

Then I said to myself that I must do something different. So I sing, dance, and learnt how to play the talking drum with my hand under my leg, with a split from the back and in different ways. So to round up my performance on that day, I did a full split with the talking drum with my head back and my hair flowing. I’ll never forget that day. In fact, when people were shouting, I thought my trouser had torn and they were laughing at me because it was so thunderous.

So when you look at the industry today, how does it make you feel when you seen that we have studio recording artistes and not musicians?

You see, there are very few of us who are musicians in this country. People ask me for my album but I don’t have a single album in the market. And I tell people that I’m not a recording artiste, I’m a performer. I freeze

up when I’m in a cubicle and find it difficult to play my talking drum when I’m in the studio. I’m a free spirit, a performer who doesn’t like to be caged. Of course there are studios out there but I can’t afford to take my entire band to record my live music. There are studios all over Europe that do that but I can’t afford it. The day I find a studio in Nigeria that can record my live performances because whenever I’m performing, I get high on my audience but I don’t smoke or drink. My audience gives me the highness that I want and I want to see them while recording my songs. So for now, I have just singles.

How many singles do you have now?

From inception, I’ve done three. I remember I was privileged to be in the same bus with late Sunny Okosun and Victor Uwaifo in the UK where we went for the Nigerian Entertainment Awards where I won an award. I was sitting right behind them where they were discussing about how possible it is to compare artistes who use CDs with live performing musicians. We live performers are underpaid. You can’t see the best of Ara without my full band.

My full band is about twenty one. But these days, I’m made to play with less than fifteen because they can’t pay the price. Some organizers would prefer to invite an artiste who would perform with his CD than we live performers and there are a lot more a live performer has to get in place like rehearsing my beat, dance scripts, pay my band members, engineers, costume.

Can you imagine Fela coming on stage and is telling the DJ to play him track 2? It’s a disaster. But I’ve been made to do it because these days if I don’t do it someone else would take the money and they still want to pay me the same amount paid to a CD artiste. It doesn’t make sense and it’s what is killing the industry. If you want real music, go for people like Femi Kuti, Lagbaja, Ara, Yinka Davis, and we are the ones that aren’t being appreciated. But I’m not criticizing the CD artistes because that’s what they know how to do. I’m criticizing the organizers because they need to see the difference. I want to get on the stage and while the drum is rolling, I want to be able to conduct and control my band.

So how has that affected the music industry?

It has because that’s why you see that everyone is lazy. Nobody is thinking deep. I’m happy that the likes of Tuface is using a live band now because he’s a deep artiste, not because I collaborated with him but because I believe in him. I’m happy that some of these artistes are realizing the importance of originality. People are no longer writing good lyrics. One of my fans told me that he’s tired of paying money to watch artistes who use CDs to perform on stage.

In your time, female artistes aren’t so many. So how do you feel to see that female artistes are everywhere?

It’s a thing of joy and pride but if I say that all of them are still single ladies and are still paying their dues, I’m watching them and happy for them. But I’m praying that they won’t make the mistakes people like us have made. I was with the Ibru sisters last week and was telling them my personal experience. They were shocked that I went through all I went through and I’m still standing.

What were you telling them?

I was telling them what I experienced in my marriage. Even the men I opened up to couldn’t believe I went through all I did and I’m still able to do all I do on stage.

Was your experience that bad?

Yes it was bad.

Was he a wife beater?

I don’t want to talk about it. You’re recording so I can’t talk.

30—Vanguard, SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012

W h e n t h e 2 0 11 - 2 0 1 2 P r e m i e r League deals are considered, there are more than enough bad deals going about to make the game interesting and kind of hilarious .

So let’s now look at some of the worst signings of the 2011-2012 Premier League Season .

Worst deals of the 2011-2012 Premier League Season

Stewart Downing (Liverpool, £20 Million) The third Liverpool summer signing on this list, Stewart Downing has the potential to become one of the biggest flops in Anfield history.

After an impressive last season at Aston Villa, Downing arrived at Liverpool with a reputation as one of Engl a n d ’s b e s t w i n g e r s , d e s p i t e a n overinflated transfer price of £20 million.

Due to his crossing ability, he was hailed as the last puzzle piece in the Liverpool jigsaw, the signing to unlock Andy Carroll’s potential.

With zero goals and zero assists in all of 35 league appearances, he has been more underwhelming than Anfield’s last great wing flop, El-Hadji Diouf, who did record two assists in 25 appearances in the 2003-2004 season.

Epitomizing Liverpool’s wastefulness and profligacy in front of goals this season, Downing has not shown the pace, dribbling, creativity and mentality to succeed at Liverpool week in, week out.

If Kenny Dalglish loses his job at the end of the season, Downing should also be worrying about his own Anfield future.

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea, £18 Million) Romelu Lukaku’s £18 million switch to Chelsea should surely rank as one of the most perplexing transfers of all time.

When the young Belgian striker decided to leave Anderlecht for Stamford Bridge, it was seen as a natural progression for a striker destined to emulate Didier Drogba’s achievements in the European game.

Other starlets like Kevin de Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois were also signed, but were immediately loaned to other clubs to continue their development, but not Lukaku.

Instead, Lukaku has wasted an entire season on the bench (and most of the time not even), with Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba continuing to occupy the striking berths, and Daniel Sturridge stepping up as a young Premier League force.

Where does Lukaku go from here?

Perhaps Drogba’s mooted summer exit might finally pave the way for the youngster who grew up idolizing him.

Scott Dann (Blackburn, £6 Million) When Birmingham were relegated in 2011, their central defenders attracted major attention from all over the Premier League.

Scott Dann reportedly drew admiring glances from Liverpool and Arsenal, and when he eventually signed for Blackburn, it was seen as a major

achievement by Rovers.

Now, it is seen as a masterstroke on the part of Liverpool and Arsenal.

His at-times hapless defending has been a reflection of Blackburn’s season as a whole, and he failed to step into the breach when erstwhile man-mountain, Christopher Samba departed Ewood Park for Anzhi Makhachkala’s millions.

Birmingham could well be playing in the Premier League next season. Dann won’t be seeing his former club there.

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool, £20 Million) When Jordan Henderson made a name for himself at Sunderland, everyone saw that he had the potential to play for a big club eventually.

That he was made captain of the England U-21s, and that he was capped for the senior national team in 2010 was testament to his potential.

Then a £20 million move to Liverpool took place, and suddenly, he doesn’t seem all that much anymore.

Lacking the pace, dribbling and crossing as a right winger, the shooting and passing as an attacking midfielder, and

the tackling and positioning as a central midfielder, Henderson has been used in a variety of positions by Kenny Dalglish this season, and all to little effect.

A perfect example of overpaying for young British prospects but luckily he still has time on his side.

Charles N’Zogbia (Aston Villa, £9.5 Million) Like the case of Bryan Ruiz, sometimes a player’s transfer is seen as that much worse considering the context of his arrival.

Aston Villa’s Charles N’Zogbia has been an undoubted disappointment in his first season at Villa Park.

He arrived at Villa with much fanfare, after his starring role in Wigan’s ultimately successful fight to stay in the Premier League in 2011.

With Ashley Young leaving for Manchester United and Stewart Downing for Liverpool, N’Zogbia’s transfer was first seen as a coup, and then as a vital move to ensure Villa’s competitiveness.

And how has he repaid them?

With a mere two goals from 30 league

appearances, and plenty of generally subpar performances.

Shaun Wright-Phillips (QPR, £2.5 Million) When Tony Fernandes jetted into Loftus Road with his megabucks, he immediately set to work trying to secure players capable of preserving QPR’s Premier League status.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was brought in for £2.5 million, a signing whose toplevel experience and individual skill was supposed to help QPR greatly, even take them to the next level.

Thirty-one appearances and no goals later, he has proven to be just one of many misguided transfers for QPR. His fall from grace has been so dramatic that he’s even lost his first-team place in Mark Hughes’ team as they battle to save themselves from relegation. taken finish against Bolton in the Carling Cup—on his rare outings.

Truly a baffling transfer.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012 —31

Off The Pitch

M’Vila Deal All but Done?

T here’s another big transfer target in France, and his name is Yann M’Vila. According to reports, Arsenal have agreed upon a fee with Rennes

Lionel Messi accused of racism or is it Luis Suarez again?

I

nnocent until proven guilty. That's the longstanding principle in matters like this, but whether or not it will prevail in the case of Royston Drenthe vs. Lionel Messi will become clear in the next few days.

Drenthe has accused Messi, the world's best player and reigning Ballon d'Or winner, of racism.

If he's telling the truth, the ramifications for Messi and Barcelona could be far-reaching. If he's not, Drenthe has stooped just about as low as you can go to seek out attention for himself.

Either way, Drenthe can expect to be besieged by the media in the days and weeks to come.

The Dutch midfielder, who is set to return to Real Madrid after a failed loan spell with Everton this season, claims Messi referred to him in the past as "negro".

It's the same accusation that was leveled at Liverpool's Luis Suarez by Manchester United's Patrice Evra.

That case went before an FA disciplinary panel and resulted in Suarez being banned for eight matches and fined £40,000.

Here's what Drenthe told reporters,

•Messi

Eden in Blue U “I played against him [Messi] many times and we always have problems with each other.You know what bothers me so? That tone with which he always says, 'negro, negro'. I understand that 'negro' in South America is

Yaya Hearts Barca M

•Yaya

very common, but we can not stand it.

Mahamadou Diarra, my team-mate at Real, could explode if 'negro' was aimed at him. The Argentinean Gabriel Heinze and Gonzalo Higuain said it initially on the training ground, but they were stopped.When Hercules [the team Drenthe spent a year on loan with last season] played Barcelona, during the game I had a small altercation with him [Messi]. He gave me a hand in the match and again said a few times, 'hola negro'.

to sign the midfielder.

From reporter. The 21-year-old, who also has strong interest from Inter Milan, told Rennes of his desire to quit the club earlier this season, and according to reports in France, Arsenal have agreed terms on a £17 million transfer, with the details set to be concluded in the summer.The news brings to an end Wenger ’s 12-month chase for M’Vila, with tentative enquiries being held last August, before Rennes pulled the plug, and the Gunners were forced to look elsewhere.

anchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has dropped a hint about his love for Spanish mega-club Barcelona.

And, well, it’s not very subtle.

From reporter.

“I would love to return to Barcelona and finish my playing career there. If they called me, I would not think twice about it,” he said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1. ”I love the city, and Barca has been the most important club for me. I love Barcelona. ”In the press conference I did when I left, I said I would return. In life you never know what will happen tomorrow. If I could return, it would be great.”

Mancini Payday?

T

oure’s manager, Italian Roberto Mancini, is reportedly set for a huge new deal with Manchester City after the season.

That’s according to reporter, at least.

Manchester City want to celebrate Premier League glory by handing Roberto Mancini a whopping new £22million contract.

Mancini’s four-year deal will make him the country’s best-paid boss, alongside Alex Ferguson.

City planned to offer Mancini the £2m-a-year pay •Mancini rise — taking his salary to

ber transfer target Eden Hazard (henceforth known as UTTEH) of Lille will “definitely” wear blue next season. So says UTTEH. Via reporter Hazard is set to leave French club Lille this summer and the winger claims he will be heading to the English top flight.

Ferguson and Mancini are fighting it out for the £25million-rated youngster and the player claims he will be wearing BLUE next season.

“I have already said that my wish is to go to the Premier League,” Hazard said. “It’s the blue that I’ll be wearing next season. Definitely the blue.”

True, Manchester City’s main color is blue. Chelsea also wear blue, of course. But don’t tell UTTEH that

•Eden

•M’Vila

Spurs Win Vertonghen Race?

T

ottenham Hotspur appear to have beaten Arsenal in the race for Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen. reporters say that Tottenham and Ajax “expect to reach an agreement” this week.

It is understood that the defender, who was named Eredivisie player of the year, wants to join Spurs irrespective of whether they play in next season’s Champions League.

“Vertonghen has made his mind up and his move to Spurs could all be agreed within the next few days,” a source told Goal.com.

It will come as a blow to Arsenal, who have been tracking the Belgian centre-back for two years and had earmarked him as one of their primary defensive targets this summer.

But Vertonghen has settled on Spurs because he believes he will be able to play more regularly in his favourite centre-back position for a Champions League calibre club.

•Spurs Team

32—SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, MAY 12, 2012

m o d e s t y .

P r o f e s s o r Muhammadu Yunus, Founder, Grameen Bank is a n o t h e r remarkable personality .

Since I met him in 1991, we have remained very close friends. I also admire his humility. Even at the face of huge success, he was humble.

There are others who have built or m a d e contributions to outstanding institutions. Here you have Mr. Fola Adeola, F o u n d i n g Managing D i r e c t o r , GTBank; Apostle Hayford Alile, former Director G e n e r a l , Nigerian Stock Exchange, who for many years made great contributions to the Nigerian Stock Exchange. There are many others. I often say to myself, if they could do what they had done, it is possible for me to do it even better. That is the essence of having a role model.

What is your philosophy of

Everryy man has something in him to make him great

— Ehigiamusoe * Godwin Ehigiamusoe

odwin Ehigiamusoe, in his humble beginning did not chose wrongly when he took the path to impact and empower humanity. It gives him passion seeing the less privileged and the low income earners elevated from their poor state as he reveals in this encounter.

Your background Well, I started life like most Nigerians of my age; I came from a humble background. I was born in a village, Ugha, a community close to Benin city.

I had my early education in that environment until 1977 when I gained admission into the university of Benin where I read Sociology.

Subsequently, I did a Masters Degree in the same discipline with emphasis on Development Studies. When I left the University, I joined the co-operative movement as a government official. The decision was quite natural for me because I felt and I still believe that a co-operative is essentially an economic association of persons with limited means who pool their resources together and from that pool, each draws to meet his or her financial needs.

Again, my engagement to the cooperative movement was a reflection of my activities while I was in the University.

Beyond my academic work, I spent quality time and resources in organsing seminars and symposia in the bid to sensitize students who were potential elites on how to improve the social and economic conditions of the masses. This ideological orientation eventually influenced the idea of non governmental initiative that

translated into what is known as LAPO today in a town called Ogwashi-Uku in Delta state.

The growth of the organization has been influenced by a number of factors. First, was the fact that my colleagues and I, demonstrated a great deal of commitment to what we are doing. Second, was the fact that I have been able to engage and retain very young and committed Nigerians. Third, is the value that LAPO adds to the society. What we are doing is considered noble by many people. Finally, there has been obvious divine interventions at various phases of our growth.

W

ere you born with a silver spoon?

I do not think so. However, in my community, my parents were relatively okay.

The turning point in my life , that is getting committed to low-income people could be attributed to the interest I had always taken in very critical and noble Nigerians such as Dr. Tai Solarin who I took a lot of interest in. For instance, I remember I religiously read his popular weekly column in the Tribune in the 70s. There was professor Ayo Owojobi, another great and selfless Nigerian. The admiration for these and other Nigerians actually shapened my outlook.

Again, the decade of 70s for Nigeria was that of optimism.

We began the decade coming out of a civil war very strong.

Then, followed by the period of oil boom. In the middle of that decay, we had a very charismatic leader in the person of Mutala Muhammed.

There were a lot enthusiasm

particularly among the youths.

There is a strong feeling that we could make this country the best in the world.

Fortunately for me, this was the period I got into the university.

W

hat were those growing up challenges you did

,

G

By MOSES NOSIKE

This country is probably the only one in Africa where you can close your eyes and see opportunities

not allow to weigh you down?

There have been few. First, was the death of my late father in 1976 in my last lap in the secondary school. I was quite close to my final exams and it was difficult for me. I remember then that my English teacher was supportive. He encouraged me to worked harder on my studies inspite of what happened. I came out with excellent results in my examination.

Another, was when in the following year that was, 1977, I gained admission into the University. It was going to be tough without a father.

Fortunately, an uncle stood in to support.

Who were your mentors during your growing up?

I have always been interested in Nigerians making selfless contributions to the country, whether in religion, academia and other areas. I have mentioned people like Tai Solarin. For me he was a model in selflessness and

,

life?

I always tell my children and other young people that success depends majorly on the tripod of diligence, personal discipline and honesty.

Was there any moment of regrets?

Yes. There were many particularly, at the beginning of LAPO. Here I was doing what was quite new in our environment and even, globally and there were a lot of frustrating moments. For instance, I remember I went to a village in Delta, set up Lapo groups and was expecting good results in the form of good repayment performance, but it turned out disastrous. It was frustrating. When you come across such situation especially at the very beginning, it could make you to question the

feasibility of what you are doing.

Your message for our youths?

Believe in yourself and also in the future of this nation. I believe in this country. This country is probably the only one in Africa where you can close your eyes and see opportunities. I advise them to think properly, look at the environment, looking at the problems and challenges and identify them; then come up with ideas for solution that could transform those things into opportunities. Also they should be diligent and persistent. My father often told, me when I was very young that if you are a sweeper and you do that diligently for years, you would become successful and be consulted on the art of sweeping.

What trips added value to your life That was my first trip to Bangladeshi in April 1991. I was a part of international dialogue organized by the Grameen Bank.

After much presentation and field trips, I was truly convinced on the desirability of credit to the poor. I remember in my hotel room on the eve of my departure, I made a commitment to myself to pursue the mission of LAPO. So, my first visit to Grameen Bank had indelible impression in my mind.

How do you dress?

Simplicity defines my dress code. What I wear at a particular period depends on the event. Going to the field to meet with clients obviously requires a different type of dressing from if I were to meet with representatives of investors.

What is your perception of success?

It is so simple. It is about setting your goals or objectives and realizing them probably within the time frame.

Your marriage life My wife is from AWKA, Anambra. I’m from Benin.

We’ve lived happily together for 24 years. We are blessed with five children - two girls and three boys.

Since she came into your life, how well?

We’ve been together for 24 years and that has been a successful union. We have transformed into a brother and a sister. She has been quite supportive. It has been a very interesting marriage journey so far.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012—33

Women should do something about what they don’t like instead of always waiting for the men to do everything Dolapo Awosika studied Law in the UK. She went to Nottingham College and Mischigan and worked with the Ford coy before moving on to Chicago, USA. She later returned to Nigeria and coproduces Amazon with Aisha Falode and Bimbo Akintola.

About the Amazons

Awosika

It is wrong for women to always depend on men for everything —Awosika

Don’t you think Nigerian men would think both of you may want to take their wives away from them because Bimbo isn’t married and I don’t know about you.

Yes, I’ve thought about that

,

I’m in partnership with Bimbo Akintola and Aisha Falode. I’ve known Bimbo for a while and because of the sport background that I have, I know that I should as well. When I came back to the country, they were very good people to me and they supported me in handling a lot of things that I came across in the country. From there, we just drew close.

Apart from that, I worked with the producer and the directors were very close to me as well. So when we started discussing about the show,they told us that we had the same goal and passion for the same thing.

Tell me a little about the show The show is called Amazons and Amazons are strong women who know what they want and the kind of society they would like to live in. And what we were trying to do isn’t about starting a revolution for women to rebel against the norms and values of the society. It’s basically trying to shed a light to men appreciating women the more and not see them as that thing that can’t contribute to the society. You have a lot of women who are intelligent.

But because of the way our society is, you find a woman who can do so much secluded to the background.

This is one of the reasons why we decided to go on air and shed light on these issues. Most of the times, we women think men should do everything for us, not realizing that we have roles to play too. There was one of the topics we did which had to do with parenting. Most of the things women pointed to was that men don’t want to look after the children. And coming from where I’m coming from, I discovered that when women have children, they neglect their men. These men feel neglected and turn outside because of the children.

So in as much as we’re talking about two separate issues that affect women, we’re also trying to look at how both men and women can look at things the same way and how the society can help to achieve this.

You would have a good president if the mother of the president was a good woman because naturally, children are the reflection of their parents

and I’m sure Bimbo did too.

It’s a pity that with the kind of technology and with the way the world is going now, it’s a pity that you need to be married or not to do something to change the society.

Like I said, by the time you look at the way the topics would be treated, you would realize that it’s not about starting a revolution.

Y

woman because naturally, children are the reflection of their parents, of which it’s the woman that holds the home together. So it’s basically to encourage the woman to go out there to do something for herself because gone are those days when a woman expects the man to bring in

ou would have a good president if the mother of the president was a good

,

the money while she spends it. Women should do something about what they don’t like instead of always waiting for the men to do everything.

So what happens if this ends in something you didn’t plan for?

For me, that’s one of the things I considered before considering to do the show.

I’ve gone to a lot of TV stations back in the UK, I’m comfortable in production and it’s something I want to do. But I’ve never been someone who

wants to be in the fore front.

I’m a little shy and I like being anonymous. Before I started this, I lead a group, more like a church group and the kind of things that we’ve done and achieved, I just thought many more people can benefit from it. But it’s like I wanted to go on TV but this particular show is a platform to tell women that we can still be good wives but at the same time, we need to know our roles in the society.

A

nd in anything you do, there’s always the good and the bad side. So it’s something we have to deal with.

Talking about you as a person. Where are you coming from?

My name is Dolapo Awosika. Like I said. I recently moved back into the country.

I’ve been around but I’ve always liked the back stage.

Where were you coming from?

I moved back from the UK. What were you doing in the UK? I had a business and I was working with a lot of production companies. And also, I worked in America as a law-

yer. But It wasn’t what I wanted to do. So without letting the cat out of the bag, I’m coming from somewhere.

What’s your experience like living in the UK? Well, I’ve lived there all my life. I came back with my husband and children. As a child, I’m half Igbo, half Yoruba. My mother is Igbo.

So do you understand and speak Igbo fluently?

I understand it a bit but don’t speak it fluently.

So what was growing up like?

Growing up was fantastic. I was very lucky because we were comfortable. But I had a very strict upbringing because I was with my grandmother for a while and she was very strict.

Did you live with your grandmother in Nigeria?

Yes. From the beginning?

I went to live with her to make me know my root. It was hard at first.

For how long did you stay with her?

For about six years. I had my primary here and went back to the UK. I went to Nottingham College and Mischigan for a while, worked with the Ford company for a while. I was in Chicago for a while then I met Sean Wilston and did other things.

S

o what was your expe rience since you came back?

Honestly, it’s been disheartening Why? Because when I came back, there were things that I had to deal with but wasn’t prepared for. I came back with a free mind. I came back hoping to do something and set up things.

But I’ve faced a lot of challenges and that’s one of the things that pushed me to this show. No one prepared me for this. I was thrown into the deep and I still was thinking like I did back in the UK that Black is black and white is white. So it was really difficult for me and my family but I give thanks to God that I overcame them all.

So where is the prospect of this programme?

For one, I’m someone that don’t quit and always take my time to check whatever I’m going into. My mum used to tell me that whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. It’s something that I hold close and I know that Aisha is coming from a background that she’s done a lot of things and people know her. I think hanging with someone like her, I don’t see why we won’t be able to sustain it because she’s been able to hold her forte for a long time.

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 Continues from last week So, when did you observe changes in your breast and what did you do?

Like I said earlier, I did not observe any changes. I discovered the cancer when I went in for a mammogram in 2007 and the doctor sent me to an expert for further diagnosis and clarifications of the cancer. I found myself talking to a crew of healthcare professionals including a surgeon oncologist, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist to discuss the various options available to me.

I opted for the removal of the breast. After the removal of the breast, I was expected to go for the routine treatments – chemo and radiation but when I received conflicting opinions from two of the experts, I became confused and scared.

As a result of those conflicting opinions, I decided to terminate my relationship with the initial medical and radiation oncologists and soon discovered a highly skilled Nigerian medical oncologist who took time to go over the details of my diagnosis and predictions (prognosis) of what could happen with my treatments. I developed a warm relationship with this caring Nigerian doctor. There are times I wonder why people have to leave Nigeria to go to Dubai, the UK, India, Mexico and the USA for treatments. Why can’t these medical oncologists in the Diaspora be given some incentives to bring them back home?

Perhaps, with research funding (especially into orthodox and alternative treatments of cancer), advanced technological equipment in hospitals, good electricity, housing, transportation, security, etc., they may be interested in coming back home.

Concurrently, I decided to conduct research, on my own, to educate myself on my type of cancer. I found out that breast

cancers that are estrogenreceptor-positive are those that have estrogen receptors present in many of the cancer cells and that estrogen receptors are protein molecules that bind to the hormone, estrogen. These types of cancers rely on a source of estrogen to encourage the increase in number of cancer cells. My research also showed that 60% of all breast cancer is estrogen receptor positive cancer, and these types of cancer at early stages can be treated without chemo. However, if the cancer is estrogen receptor negative cancer, chemo may be the best option.

My research further led me to the discovery of ONCOTYPE DX test, which is a type of test that analyses the activity of a group of genes that can affect how a cancer is likely to behave and respond to treatment. This test can also help doctors figure out the risk of a new invasive cancer developing in the same breast, especially with patients diagnosed with a DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ).

I told my doctor that I would like to take this test before using any chemo on my body. She signed the necessary papers for the test and I went on to have the test done. When the results came back, we found that I would not benefit from chemo significantly; only 10% benefit, but I could use Aromatase Inhibitor (drugs like Aramidix, Femora) in combination with Tamoxifen.

Sur viving Cancer

experience for me – very painful; the slicing/cutting and poking were very traumatic for me. I still sometimes feel the sharp pains, tingling in my arms from time to time.

My Alternative Treatment/Dietary Julia tells Factor: This was her story in where I realised that “I am only as a must-read efficient as my book titled cells”. If we think of ‘CHRONICLES each cell as a OF A miniature body that CANCER must receive SURVIVER’ nutrients and eliminate wastes, Julia then we will understand why it’s important to maintain the integrity of the cell. I found that, according to various studies into normal cell” and “when conducted from 1946-1958, three you totally eliminate all essential molecules (lipids, sterols microbes in the blood stream, and amino-acids) establish the lymph system and elsewhere in integrity of the cell membrane the body, the immune system is that has selective power over what super-charged enough to cure cancer.(Rife and Beck). goes in and what passes out.

These devices are non-clinical Since a poor diet lacks sufficient but I relied on testimonies from amount of one or more of these molecules, the result is a cell that users. My rationale is that is starved for nutrition and clinical trials done with chemo are destroying people at a fast constipated with toxic wastes.

Gaining this knowledge has led pace, so what do I have to lose?

What treatment options did me to other alternative I found myself using the Rifetreatments, focusing on major Beck device for two hours daily you go for and why?

Looking at the side effects of dietary changes and the for 3 months. I tried out some of the drugs prescribed, I elimination of chemicals from my Chinese, Japanese and Anjoherbal detoxification herbs from was in bad shape health wise, body and household.

I tried out electro-medicine Ijebu-Ode. I was willing to fight and as I exhibited some of those stated side effects, I opted not to based on the “devices” designed cancer to stay alive.

My Complimentary take the drugs. I did, however, by microbiologist Royal Rife and Treatment: This was, and is, the Dr. Bob Beck, Ph.D. (Physics) to opt for combinations of orthodox, use of prayers, meditation and alternative and complimentary kill “microbes” in cancer cells.

Their theories are as follows: “If singing. I was raised a Christian treatments.

My orthodox treatment you can kill all microbes inside and my faith has always been consisted of surgery and the cancer cells, the cancer cells strong with the Lord. I will be able to restore their continue to build on that faith reconstruction of the breast.

This was a “hell on earth” metabolism and will revert back while developing direct access and a better relationship with Him. You cannot and should not go through such a disease without depending and calling on a higher power. Cancer is not bigger than God, the creator of everything great or small. I remember reciting Psalm 94:19 frequently: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, your in England, where she now resides. comforts delight my soul”.

Theodora had her first break in “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is television when she appeared in a drama Mine” is my consoling song. If series called Everyday Life which was aired He is truly mine, then He will on BenTV Sky Channel 184. She also had make me whole completely and one of the lead roles in a Christian drama then my story and song will on Passion TV Sky Channel 169. This forever be “Praising my saviour, heart-warming drama, written and all the day long”.

—Julia Fortune

PR OFILE ON NIGERIAN SSTTAR, PROFILE THEODORA IBEKWE MAKING WAVES IN THE UK

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heodora has become synonymous with glamour, style and designer brands, and presents herself with natural flair.

She studied at Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria and at the University of Lagos, Nigeria respectively. Being the second child in a family of four graduates, she has always been surrounded by positive role models that helped her become who she is today. Hard work and perseverance has been her life long motto and as she continues to put these into practice, she continues to attain the goals she has set for herself.

During her time in the entertainment industry, she had worked as actress, model, writer/editor, promoter and MC at selected occasions. There is also a business side of her when, at one time, she was employed as resident manager with Water Parks located at Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos State before leaving the shores of Nigeria eleven years ago.

Soon after, she became co-owner of a be-spoke Italian boutique located in New Cross, South East London. Most days, you would find Theodora working on forth coming projects for entertainment professionals in Slough, one of the most affluent areas

directed by Mike Bamiloye, has won the hearts of many.

Five years ago, she starred in a hit reality TV show Fresh Acts, which was aired on OBE TV in the UK. For people who are not familiar with the show, just think of American Idol but in this case, it is acting instead of singing.

She successfully made it through to the fourth round of auditions which lasted 20 weeks. She has since been offered countless roles for dramas and advertisements. She has also been used as cover girl for several glossy magazines in and outside the UK. More recently, she has concluded a Nollywood movie Amina with renowned actress, Omotola Jalade Ekehinde, and actor, Van Vicker. The film will be premiered soon in the UK. She also played a lead role in a movie with Nollywood actor, Jim Iyke. The movie is titled Heavy Mama in London.

She also got a lead role in another Nollywood flick titled LOVE TRIANGLEwith the likes of Lanre Balogun, Rita Edochie, Anthony Monjaro and Fatima Jabbe. The film will also be premiered before the end of 2012.

Is your book meant to assist people? In what way?

Yes, my book is designed as a work book and guide for newly diagnosed cancer patients that are probably going through the emotions of denial, guilt, anxiety, and shock. Survivors that are trying to cope with managing the adverse effects of chemo; family members interested in learning how to assist their loved ones with cancer; healthcare professionals interested in learning how to integrate other forms of treatment in their practice; and, individuals interested in learning and using more natural and less invasive approaches to preventing cancer.

The book is filled with researchbased suggestions that will help readers to make educated decisions about their unique situation. A word of caution: my book is not meant to take the place of medical advice. People still need to consult with healthcare professionals trained in dealing with cancer.

Tell us about the NGO you want to set up with proceeds from your book.

The NGO, known as Total Body Wellness Foundation, focuses on (helping people) to develop healthy body, mind and spirit. We will offer research into alternative/complimentary/ integrative treatments of breast cancer and educational workshops for disseminating current and accurate wellness information. We will provide counselling and practical, individualised programmes, and drawing upon good nutrition (planting of cancer fighting produce, etc.). The centre will form strategic alliances with hospitals in communities, other NGOs, government and volunteer groups.

We have received some money but we are still in the process of receiving a significant amount from pledges made during the launching of the book. We intend to use 80 percent of the amount collected so far to create more awareness about the disease and reaching out to more people in communities for needed funding of the foundation. We are seeking funding and partnerships from those that believe in this worthy cause.

What will you say to women about cancer and life style?

Nigerian women should take proactive approaches with their cancer diagnosis and partner with their doctors effectively, asking the right questions, and being willing to find out more about cancer. They should see their doctors as their supporters and not as unapproachable people. They should not be afraid to ask for second opinions before engaging in use of chemotherapy and they should make requests for two critical tests: a) Vitamin D and b) Oncotype DX. They should also learn to take good care of their bodies by adopting healthier behaviours and, finally, they should always practice their faith to develop the courage to battle cancer and that they can fight cancer and WIN! Where can one get the book and how soon will you establish your NGO project?

You can get the books at Glendora Bookshop at Falomo Shopping Centre, Shop C4, Ikoyi, Lagos. However, we are currently accepting applications from marketing companies, publishing outlets, book stores and independent distributors with financial resources to take on the project (strategic partnering).

We need to convert the book into audio in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages so as to reach out to rural communities. We also plan to promote the book throughout the continent of Africa. If interested, please contact me atjuliafortune@hotmail.comorjulia.fortune@comcast.net.

Let me add that there is already some interest to translate the book into Ghanaian native languages and promote and distribute it there.

The NGO project will be established by July 2012 and the completion of the centre for Total Body Wellness Foundation will be in 2013 by the grace of God.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, MAY 12 , 2012—35

36 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 —37

At ZUMA filmf es t, go vt. pledges suppor ood filmfes est, govt. supportt for Nollyw Nollywood •Expert canvasses adoption of Bollywood experience

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UNDING which has con tinued to bedevil the growth of the nation's motion picture industry can be tackled appropriately, if practitioners and other stakeholders will embrace the need to adopt the Bollywood experience, the acronym for Indian's film industry.

This observation was made by the Technical Adviser to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Export-Import Bank(NEXIM), Mr Hope Yongo while speaking at the colloquium organised as part of the activities that were lined up for the just concluded ZUMA Film Festival, held in Abuja The festival, organised by the N i g e r i a n F i l m Corporation(NFC) kicked off last Sunday and ended on Wednesday night with an award ceremony.

Speaking on the topic, “Developing a truly Nigeria Film Funding Paradigm: and National Film Fund:The Bollywood Experience” Mr Yongo said NEXIM has been understudying the Bollywood style of funding for the film industry and has come to the understanding that Nigeria can learn a lot from the country's film sector.

According to his analyses, the institutional structure, specialised film policies, immense organised private sector involvement and legal instrumentalities are some of the visionary measures that Bollywood has put in place to overcome the challenges of funding, which Nollywood can benefit from .

Drawing inferences from both countries, Mr Yongo said Nigeria and India are two developing countries which have huge population that can drive the entertainment industry to the next level.

For him, the immense potentials of the industry can be lost if urgent steps are not taken to address the challenges posed by the insufficient funding of Nollywood.

The NEXIM bank boss however pointed out that funding goes beyond just the provision of funds but the putting in place of policy framework and institutions that will help drive the policy.

Speaking in the same vein, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku reiterated Federal Government's commitment to strengthening the film industry through financial and legislative supports. This, he said will help the practitioners to compete favourably with other global players in the motion picture industry.

The Minister, who emphasised on the essence of main-

•Actor Sam Dede

•L-R, NFC D-G, Mr. Afolabi, Minister for Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, and Kastina State governor, Alhaji ibrahim Shema

•Prof. Duro Oni and a foreign participant taining peace in the industry as it also relates to the current security challenges facing the country, cited example of the 200 million Dollar intervention fund released by the Jonathanled administration as of part the government's effort to supporting to the growth of the industry.

According to him “All of us has to play a big role in ensur-

•Tunde Kelani and a colleague

ing peace and security in Nigeria, the film industry must respond to the challenges that we are faced with today” While commending the practitioners for using their films to boost the image of the country, the Minister disclosed that the federal government is putting plans in place to set up a film fund to enable small scale artistes and producers access

funding.

According to him, the proposal to set up the new funding mechanism is currently receiving the attention of the Federal Executive Council.

“The conditions for a specific film fund would be easier than taking money directly from commercial banks which is a bit more expensive and the conditions often not easy for small

scale producers in this sector.

“President Jonathan has put everything possible on ground to develop and expand possibilities of our film industry to the rest of the world.

“Presently, he has put on ground about 200 million Dollars to support the film industry. We have been trying to get our film makers and artistes to access this fund.

“We have forwarded to the Federal Executive Council five different policy proposals to develop this industry and further support it.

“One of the policy measures we have taken which we are awaiting the FECs deliberation and approval is the establishment of a film fund which will make it easier for our artistes, producers and other entrepreneurs in this industry .

Funke Akindele, TK shine at ZUMA awards

M

ultiple award winning actress, Funke Akindele has added another feather to her cap as she walked away with the Best Actress award at this year ’s ZUMA Film Festival which rounded off Wednesday night in Abuja.

Akindele’s film the “Return of Jenifa” also won the award of the Highest Grossing movie in the box office in Nigeria.

She won the Best Actress award for her role in “Maami’, a film produced by acecinematographer, Tunde Kelani who also won the awards of the Best of Director and the Best Nigerian film.

The actress defeated Genevieve Nnaji(Tango with Me) and Lilian Bach(Eletan) to clinch the prize.

In her acceptance speech, Akindele dedicated the award to her father, saying that she feels honoured and privileged to be given the award.

Other big winners included, Yemi Blaq who won the Best Actor’s award for his role in the film, “The Impostor ”, Mahood Ali-Balogun whose film, “Tango With Me” won the Best Script award, film critic, Shaibu Husseini won the Best film Journalist award and Idi Nasiru whose “Naked Truth” film was adjudged the Best Student film.

Also, the award of the Best Nigerian Distributor went to Blue Pictures while the Life Achievement award was given to governor Ibrahim Shema of Kastina State.

Special recognition awards were equally given to deserving corporate Nigerians and organisations such as NBC, Nexim Bank, SMEDAN and the embassy of Spain for their notable contributions to the growth of Nigerian motion picture industry and the projections of the works of filmmakers.

The glamorous award night which held at Nicon Luxury hotel, Abuja, climaxed the four-day event which featured series of events ranging from Godlei colloquiums.

•Funke Akindele

Alhaji Ibrahim a

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

Gringori's family demands apology from mockers ..as his body is laid to rest

•Gringori

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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EMAINS of James Akwari Iroha popularly known as Gringori Akabogu was last weekend laid to rest in his Bush House country home in Amokwe Item, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia state.

Meanwhile, the family of the late actor seized the opportunity provided by Gringori's rites of passage to refute re-

ports that the late actor did not only die in penury but also, lived in a rented apartment in his Item native home.

Speaking at the burial ceremony, the head of Iroha family, Elder Nwokeocha Okpa Iroha said that his brother never lived in any rented apartment at Amokwe Item.

According to him, he lived in his personal house built in the 1980s and did not die in Item, but at a private hospital in Onitsha, Anambra state.

“Let me take this opportunity to correct the erroneous, negative and offensive comments made in some sections of the media about James, and by extension about my family, first that James lived and died in a rented apartment at his home town, it is a blatant lie.

“It is true that he lived in a rented apartment in Umuahia as civil servant, like other civil servants of his type, there is nothing wrong in that, for your information James built a modest bungalow in Amokwe Item in the 1980s which he called ‘Bush House’.

“This negative comment about James, by extension my family, is an indictment on my family, we demand an apology. The truth of the matter was that James was a civil servant, lived on a moderate income.

One can say that James died in 2005 when his wife Betty died, as he was lonely, unhappy and frustrated with life”, Elder Okpa Iroha said.

In his homily before the internment, the Methodist Bishop in charge of Evangelism, Bishop Sunday Onuoha noted that in this trying times, Nigeria should embrace what Gringori stood for by making others smile and laugh instead of bringing tears and anguish.

Ngozi Nwosu's transformation!

N OT long ago, it was ru moured that Ngozi Nwosu was suffering from an undisclosed illness, owing to her incredible loss of weight.

Then, she was more of a shadow of her old self, as she emaciated with her collar bones standing so glaring ahead of what used to be a robust neck. Her alleged failing health was however linked to so many unimaginable things, but the “Fuji house of Commotion” star was unperturbed. She maintained her claim that nothing was wrong with her.

And today, her mockers can tell better. Ngozi has not only bounced back to life, she’s looking absolutely stunning.

Spotting her at a recent Nollywood event, on the Lagos island, the Imo State born actress was the cynosure of attraction.

Looking healthy, cute and robust again, the actress was everywhere at the event, showcasing her transformation and telling whoever cares to

•Ngozi Nwosu listen that she has bounced who were fascinated by her improved look, openly comback to life.

Dressed in a fitted local fab- plimented her saying; “ we ric, Ngozi’s presence at the are happy to see you looking event was announced by her very healthy and radiant new outlook. Some of her fans again.”

•L-R, Ogun State Comissioner for Tourism, Chief Olu Adeyemi, Director of CULTURE, and Founder of YMAA, Laface during the press briefing

Ogunde, Aromoire, others to be honoured at YMAA

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OYEN of Nigerian The atre, Hubert Ogunde of blessed memory, Moses Olaiya, Alade Aromoire, Idowu Phillips, Moremi, Lere Paimo and Tunde Kelani are among the great Yoruba movie icons who will be receiving awards at the maiden edition of Yoruba Movie Academy Awards (YMAA), holding in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital on Sunday, June 3.

Also organsiers of the awards have disclosed that “traditional red carpet” and the classy Hummer Limousine shuttle that will serve as a glamorous celebrity shuttle from their respective hotels to the new ultra-modern June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, the venue of the event will be the major attractions at YMAA 2012.

Ogunde and other Yoruba film icons, according to the organisers, are being honoured for their contributions to the growth of the home video culture in Nigeria.

They posited that today’s Nollywood started with the Alarinjo Theatre Groups pioneered by great movie icons like the late Hubert Ogunde, Kola Ogunmola, Moses Olaiya, and Ade Love, who notably moved from one region to another, showcasing their works. “The industry also witnessed a major resurgence with landmark contributions from top-notch producers like the late Alade Aromoire, Tunde Kelani and Tade Ogidan among others.” they posited.

Addressing the press, in Abeokuta, ahead of the grand finale, the founder of YMAA, Mr. Tunde Oshinibosi a.k.a Laface said the essence of YMAA is to honour and celebrate creativity among the Yoruba film makers.

He identified brand identity, brand development and perception as part of the ma-

jor challenges facing the Yoruba movie industry, declaring that the time has come for the practitioners to address these issues. “The time has come for us all to contribute our own quota as Yorubas and as Nigerians in the celebration of the greatness and uniqueness of the Yoruba culture and tradition.

It is of utmost importance that YMAA stands out in truth and fairness for the continuous growth and prosperity of the Yoruba race. The Yoruba movie industry must see YMAA as the biggest award in Nollywood. The practitioners must see it as the award to strive hard for,” he said Also speaking at the event, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, in Ogun State, Chief Olu Odeyemi said developing the Yoruba movie industry is in line with the new tourism agenda of the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

According to him, “we are constrained to lend our support to the institution of these awards, following the laudable objectives of YMAA which includes promotion and development of Tourism in Ogun State through movies, transformation of the state to the movie capital of Nigeria, creation of job opportunities among others, with the hope that the confidence the Ogun State Government has reposed in you through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will be justified.”

In a nomination list released during the week, Fathia Balogun, Funke Akindele and Bimbo Akintola will be battling for the Best Actress award at the event, which holds at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta as part of celebrations to mark Governor Amosun’s one year in office.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012— 39

Hyundai intensifies fight against malaria

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•Celebration galore by Jaguar Land Rover Staff as

N collaboration with her principals, HMC Korea, Hyundai Motors Nigeria said it is intensifying efforts to improve the socio-economic welfare of the less privilege, pledging to be socially responsible and ensure optimum value for every Hyundai model.

The company made this pledge in Lagos recently when she donated hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes’ repellent supplies to orphanages and psychiatric homes in Nigeria to commemorate the 2012 world Malaria Day. Donating the items, which include treated nets and insecticides at a brief ceremony at the Little Saints Ophanage, Ogudu Lagos, Mr. Kiran Parab, Director, Sales & Marketing, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited, said the initiative was in fulfillment of Hyundai Motors’ allegiance to corporate social responsibility.

He said Hyundai Motors worldwide is keen on touching lives – a decision he said the 300,000th Freelander rolls off the plant in Merseyside. prompted the Nigerian dealership to extend support to orphanages and psychiatric homes in various locations in gives increased road performance, globally.”

Nigeria.

Terrain The 2012 Freelander 2 customer choice and featuring Mr. Kiran who also Hill is available with a offers lower CO2 ResponseTM, lamented the refined 2.2 litre diesel emissions at 158g/km Descent Control, a susceptibility of children cabin, engine offering two and improved fuel premium particularly to the malaria at improved fuel economy power outputs – the consumption scourge said there isn’t and an affordable cost of 190hp SD4 and the 47.1mpg. other child that needs Freelander 2 offers ownership.

150hp TD4. An eD4 twoattention now than wheel drive derivative class-leading on and offchildren in orphanages and people in psychiatric homes.

He said it is very important to forestall the expressed his delight Earlier in his World Bank, Global Road fearsome risks of with the World Bank presentation, the FRSC Safety Facility, Arrive imminent malaria scourge initiative of integrating Corps Marshal and Alive Road Safety that threatens more than safety components on Chief Executive, Osita initiative, the FRSC and 90 percent (about Road Sector 150.3million) of Nigeria’s road rehabilitation and Chidoka said that the the construction in Nigeria World Bank Consultants Development Team, 167 million people. as it will add value to were in Nigeria for a (Federal Ministry of Also adding that the traffic enforcement and review of the FRSC Works), the World Bank company is disturbed by proper identification of enforcement capacity, in seeks to transfer fund recent statistics that about vehicle owners, across line with the World Bank and human potentials 52 percent of children the country.

Safe corridor project from countries of high aged between six months Continuing, the which seeks to infuse income capacity to and five years are Director-General said road safety components countries of low and currently threatened by that these innovations into road construction medium income capacity the malaria scourge, Mr. have made Nigeria an and rehabilitation in as part of measures to Kiran said: “the gesture engender commitment couldn’t have come at a investment destination Nigeria. which will no doubt, According to the Corps for road safety within better time.” provide the potentials Marshal, under the safe global circles. for socio-economic corridor project which is development. been overseen by the

300,000th Land Rover Freelander 2 produced J

AGUAR Land Rover employees at Halewood Operations in Merseyside have celebrated an important milestone achievement following the production of the 300,000th Land Rover Freelander 2.

Production of the Freelander 2 at Halewood Operations commenced in October 2006 and recently, the plant’s 300,000th Freelander 2 was driven off the line. The vehicle is a 2.2 litre Diesel in Barolo Black and is destined for a customer in Brazil – one of the brand’s fastest growing markets. Land Rover is the leading SUV brand in the country with around a 40% market share.

Halewood Operations Director Richard Else, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Halewood team for reaching this superb milestone and also

sustaining the highest quality standards on Freelander 2, during the Range Rover Evoque launch period.

Freelander was Land Rover’s biggest selling model last year retailing around 52,000 units

SSS says new Number plate’ll combat terrorism

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HE DirectorGeneral of the State Security Services, Mr. Ekpeyong Itah has described the new number plate project as a catalyst in the collective push to combat terrorism and other national security challenges facing the country.

According to a statement issued by the Federal Road Safety Corps, the DG made this known during an advocacy visit by World Bank road safety consultants. Mr. Itah

Nevada issues license for driverless car N EVADA has be come the first state to issue an "autonomous" license for a driverless car, and Google is the lucky recipient, the Las Vegas Sun reports.

Last year the state Legislature passed the first law in the nation to permit testing of driverless cars. State regulations,

however, require a person behind the wheel and one in the passenger's seat during tests. The system permits a human driver to take control by stepping on the brake or turning the wheel.

"It's still a work in progress," Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman Tom Jacobs tells the Sun.

Google has a test fleet of at least eight vehicles and says it hopes to market the technology to auto manufacturers, the Sun says. The system combines artificial intelligence software, a global positioning system and an array of sensors to navigate its way through traffic.

Other companies are

tinkering with autonomous technology, Jacobs says: "Google has a lot of competition."

License plates issued for driverless cars will have a red background and an infinity symbol. "I feel using the infinity symbol was the best way to represent the 'car of the future,'" DMV Director Bruce Breslow says.

•Outgoing Lagos Sector Commander, Mr Jonas Agwu (r) welcoming the new Commander, Nseobong Akpabio to FRSC Zonal Command, Ojodu, Lagos.

40—SATURDAY

Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

for Peace and Development Action (YAPDA), a youth organisation that seeks to empower young people on peace education, democracy, leadership development and conflict prevention. With this organisation, I have been actively involved in youth Email: youthfulvibes@gmail.com empowerment and contributed my bit to building a peaceful society. I also started the United Nations Youth Association of Nigeria (UNYAN), a platform for young people to learn more about the works of the UN and get empowered as future leaders.

Also in 2008, I authored my first book “Now that you are a Graduate: All you need to know about graduate opportunities’. “ f you are walking the and mother. It was a great The book right path and you are experience and I always came out of willing to keep walking, remember it. I started off university m y eventually, you will make my education with observation progress” - Barack Obama Industrial Chemistry that most Nigerian Olalekan,26, is undergoing and then I left in my •Olalekan Oshunkoya graduates his master’s degree final year to pursue my are not programme at Coventry p a s s i o n — M a s s University, United Kingdom C o m m u n i c a t i o n — e v e n Programme (NKABOM 2008) informed about the worth of where he was recently though it was a tough in Cyprus, where 29 young their degree and the elected as Vice President of decision, it was worth it all people from about 18 opportunities offered by graduate education. The book the Students Union within the way. commonwealth countries is a self-help collection that months of joining the Social Enterprise versus came together in a leadership offers practical ideas on how University. He convened the development retreat. This to make the best use of business enterprise Students Association of In September, 2008, my experience changed my life and graduate education. Following Nigerians in Diaspora outstanding involvement in my career interest. I came back the success of the book, I (SAND), a representative to Nigeria, with a renewed platform for Nigerians community service and commitment to be more active started a social enterprise— youth leadership activities Graduate Employability and students abroad. He has in Social Development sector authored two books and in Nigeria led to my as a change maker. Inspired by Entrepreneurship Centre currently working on two selection to represent the experience in Cyprus, I (GEEC, Nigeria) with some of others.

He strongly Nigeria in a Commonwealth convened the Youth Alliance my colleagues, and we use the Leadership organisation as a platform to advocates for youth Youth train graduates with nonempowerment, and he joins academic and requisite other passionate young practical skills that are people locally and needed to succeed in life internationally in their after school including resolve to make the world a entrepreneurship and life better place. Olalekan in this skills. My second book was interview with Saturday a project for my NYSC Youthful Vibes shares his community development passion for young people, and was titled ‘So you are change and New Nigeria, Corper: Service year and why he took that passion and its opportunities’ . to the Diaspora. book My latest ‘Democracy: A guide My humble background for young Nigerians’ is I grew up in the South West intended to inform region of Nigeria, Sagamu, Nigerian youths on the Ogun State and I spent a good need to get involved in all part of my early life over areas of decision making there. I am the last child in a and democracy starting family of six. I lost my father from local communities. It at a very tender age. Hence, I offers practical ideas and spent most part of my •Olalekan sitting in front of the flag amidst young tips of ways to ‘be the change, childhood with my siblings Nigerians in UK. we seek’ and why our voice

The future of the world I live is in my hands —Olalekan Oshunkoya

I

matter in delivering the Nigerian we desire.

My work Diaspora

in

the

When I was offered a scholarship to start my masters degree in the UK in 2010, I knew it was time to step up the game of change, this passion led to my leading the mobilisation of Nigerians students here in the UK to form a common representative front to network, share opportunities and contribute to the development of Nigeria hence the birth of SAND. Through many projects like Conversations for New Nigeria, Nigeria Student Leadership Summit, STAND magazine, Nigeria Graduate Fair, SAND-UK empower and create opportunities for Nigerians students in Diaspora to connect with local youths and deliver the Nigeria we desire.

I have equally been playing a key role representing international students at the National Union of Students (NUS) UK. I am also working on my new book, ‘Going Global: guide for international students on studying in the UK’. I also co chair the African Students Union UK (ASUUK).

M

y words for young people As youths, it is important that we are

reminded that that the future of the world we live is in our hands. No doubt, our father’s generations has failed us and we have to act now to make sure we don’t fail our own children. The future begins with us and we are the hope and that hope must be restored from our actions today and every other day. We have to make the right decisions, our resources of energy, talents and enthusiasm must be channelled into positive engagement that contribute something to our society (however little), we should like to make our world better... daily! “Glory lies in the attempt of reaching ones goals and not in reaching it” Mahatma Gandhi. See you at the top!

YOUNG NIGERIANS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE OKELOLA OLUMAYOKUN FRANCIS

JAMES ASU

MINNA, NIGER STATE

AJEGUNLE, LAGOS

M

J

ayokun is a prodigy environmentalist. He has participated n series of the prestigious World Bank Institute courses. His interests straddle applied science development in the actualization of the Millennium Development Goal number 7 (Environmental sustainability). He is the focal point of a network of youths advocating the use of renewable energy sources aside fossil fuel energy resources to mitigate Climate Change and other environment problems.

His passion to transfer classroom knowledge in environmental studies into a pragmatic and beneficial project for the University immediate environment and host community birthed his interests in 2008.

In his diplomatic career, He has served at the highest decision making organ of Model UN sessions representing the Japan Ambassador in the Security Council and the South Africa Ambassador in the General Assembly. He has held many leadership responsibilities including the highly coveted President of the General Assembly of the Model UN sessions where he led the assembly to pass resolutions on the subject of Climate Change as a global concern. He is also the Vice president of the Millennium Development Goals Society of Africa.

A member of the African Youth Forum for Science and Technology (AYFST). He was among the top Global rated 101 Young African Leaders by the African Business Leaders Forum (ABLF) / LEAP Africa in 2007 and was decorated in Accra. He was nominated for the 2010 UNEP Champion of the Earth Award and Semi –Finalist of The Future Awards for his initiative projects on Climate change. In 2009,he received the LEAP Africa national youth Leadership award. He presently leads a team of researchers on a pilot climate change innovation research for the African Technology Policies Study (ATPS) network. ‘ i

ames Asu is an Ajegunle born young change agent who believes in a new Nigeria. He is an optimist who desires to see a world where equality of opportunity abounds for all humanity on the surface of the earth to achieve and become all they are capable of achieving in life. James has been part of various projects/training programmes, symposia and conferences.

James is also a prolific writer who has written over 50 articles published in newsletters, websites and other publications both online and offline on various issues.

He is the president of GLOBAL CHANGERS’ FORUM; an annual gathering of first class individuals, intellectuals and professionals who are poised and passionate to live first class lives through the discovery and delivery of their untapped potentials, unstoppable passions and unlimited purposes in their nations and across the world. He is an inspirational Gospel singer, a computer engineer by profession,a writer and motivational speaker . He was recently invited and interviewed on LTV8 (LAGOS STATE TELEVISION) in a program popularly known as “OWURO-LAWA” where he spoke to the attentive audience on “PROSPERING BY YOUR POTENTIALS.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 — 41

42—SATURDAY, Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

Samuel Iroegbulam buries dad

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he funeral service for late Pa Ezinna Eugene Ukachi Iroegbulam, father of Mr. Samuel Iroegbulam, Accountant, Vanguard Newspapers was held on 15th April, 2012 at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Ahiara, Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State. The occasion was attended by dignitaries from all walks of life.

08033286159

Wedding of Joy and Urezi

L-R:Mr. Isaac Iroegbulam; Mr. Vincent Iroegbulam; Mr. Samuel Iroegbulam and Mr. Emmanuel Iroegbulam, all children of the deceased.

L-R: Amos Agadaigho, Mrs Janet Ikperikpe, Mr. and Mrs Urezi Agadaigho, Mr. Matthew Ikperikpe and Mrs. Janet Agharite, parents of bride and the groom.

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amilies of Mr. Matthew Mao Ikperikpe of Udumuevbara in Ekpan, Uvwie LGA and Chief Dr. J. O. Agadaigho JP (Iyasiere of Ozoro) of Uruto in Isoko North LGA, both of Delta State rolled out a beautiful wedding treat for their children; Joy Ikperikpe and Urezi Agadaigho on 20th and 21st April 2012. While the traditional marriage took place at Matthew Ikperikpe’s compound, the church wedding held at House on the Rock Church. Reception followed at Cane Wood Hotels Ltd., Ekpan, where dignitaries from home and abroad were treated to a lavish fare of food, drinks and music from old music soldier, Tony Gray.

Group photograph of members of the family of the deceased L-R: Mr. Sylvanus Otikivi, Engr. Tony Okaye, Dipo Agbietayo, Engr. Yomi Olujonwo and Augustus Ejegi .

L-R: Mr. Sunday Oyeleke; Mr. Samson Akunna; Mrs Helen Arowolo and Mr. Moses Ewa, all Vanguard staff

Jadesola Aloba marks birthday Prophet Sunday Oluwajoba Aloba and his wife, Mrs Jadesola Aloba during the birthday ceremony of Mrs.Adesola, in Lagos last weekend….

L-R: Eshamu Ikperikpe, Idarowan Ikperikpe, Mrs. Janet Ikperikpe, Jime and Diemeta Ikperikpe

Precious and Robert SOLEMNISATION of Holy Matrimony between Precious, daughter of Mr and Mrs Sunday Dickson and Robert, son of Mr and Mrs B. Kretschmer, took place at the Good News Miracle Bible Church, Oshodi, Lagos on Saturday. Photo by Sola Oyelese

Sunday Oluwajoba Aloba and his wife, Mrs Jadesola Aloba

The couple; Mr and Mrs Robert Kretschmer receiving their wedding certificate from Archbishop George Amu.

L-R: Mrs. Janet Ikperikpe, Mr. and Mrs. Urezi Agadaigho and Mr. Matthew MAO Ikperikpe, bride's parents.

L-R: Lady Marris Ikperikpe, Barr. David Tseru, Barr.

Victor Otomiewo, former Attorney General of Delta State, Mrs. Betty Akinbola, Mr. Matthew Ikperikpe, Patricia Ikperikpe, Mrs. Magdalene Osika, and Chief Austin Ighovue

Temitope and Olutope MISS Temitope Egbedeyi, a front-line journalist with Channels TV in Lagos chose a banker, Olulope Fagbemi from Warri as a husband at an Easter wedding that took place at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, Ikeja.

Mr Olutope and Mrs Temitope Fagbemi

SA TURD A Y Vanguard SATURD TURDA anguard,,

BY ABIOLA PHILLIPS LITTLE could General Andrew Owoye Azazi (rtd) have known when he let loose a stereotypically military missive in Asaba last month that he was opening the floodgates on deep running waters, with subterranean undercurrents.

From the moment President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declared his intention to run for President in his own right, the question of how, when and where the mythical northern monolith would respond has simmered, boiled and threatened to boil over.

General Azazi’s politically incorrect but nevertheless welcome attempt to widen the net of causation has brought much out into the open that hitherto had only been whispered near the corridors of power. Raising his head above the parapets as he did can either be described as incredibly brave or unbelievably naïve, or perhaps there is a middle ground that bespeaks the muddy waters of Nigerian politics.

As he spoke extempore, the absence of a definitive text has rendered commentary hazardous prone to spin andrife with caveats. Given that caveat, let us delve into the import of what was allegedly said and see what we may glean from that and the febrile comments that have come in its wake.

The most viral comment was the blame allegedly laid at the feet of the nation’s ruling party by the NSA for the consequences of the feral nature of the pursuit of power within its ranks. On this front, the criticisms levied at the NSA have been far from robust in addressing the matters he alluded to and righteously indignant in the claims that his comments were tantamount to “anti-party” activities. What this reveals gives cause for concern as it betrays a failure to grasp the imperatives that propel participants in and practitioners of national security.

Certain roles and functions must go first to a nation’s well being rather than that of its ruling political parties; indeed, for such roles to be comparatively juxtaposed with party loyalty is a gross dereliction of duty. When a professional is asked to do a job, those that ask it of him must expect and accept that he will be honest in so doing. The imperative that propels a National Security Adviser is necessarily a command-control imperative. In contrast, the imperative that propels the politician is necessarily a consensus imperative. To this extent, technocrats and politicians are like oil and water. Those baying for blood would do well to remember that you cannot have genuine national security without a command-control imperative; we cannot afford to lose that.

A National Security Adviser must when engaging on matters of national security never, ever, be propelled by anything but the nation’s security

MA Y 12, 2012—43 MAY

the “loss” of the presidency, the responsibility for advising the president on security was clearly targeted as the soft underbelly of power that could not be forfeited as well.

General Andrew Azazi (rtd)

President Goodluck Jonathan

Insecurity: Appraising Azazi’s CommandControl Prognosis and well being. Where such engagement brings him up against the parochial concerns of party-political hatchet men, it is the role of his line boss (Mr. President) to shield him from such diversions and enable him refocus on his primary assignment, advising the President on the nation’s security.

Where his straying betrays, in the view of his line boss, an excess of zeal and a dearth of guile, the appropriate thing to do is to draw him in and charge him to steer clear of political waters. In so doing however, the line boss must be mindful that he does not throw away the baby with the bath water. By this I mean that where in the midst of the muddied political waters,incisive insights are offered,the line boss must take judicious note of those comments and imbibe whatever lessons lie therein.

What Mr. President must not allow is that he be browbeaten by malcontents within the political machinery whose remit is far narrower than the President’s on matters that must remain at their core apolitical. It is nooxymoron for a reflective National Security Adviser to locate a security malaise as having its foundation in defects in the nation’s political maelstrom, while the

NSA continues to exist and operate outside the party-political realm. What this portends is the acceptance of the President’s chief security adviser as an apolitical personality who is not constrained in the nature of advice he feels able to offer by reason of political loyalties.

The rabid manner in which the NSA has been turned upon suggests that those who would use his inadvertence as a platform to revisit the validity of his appointment continue to be in the forefront of the shadow war being waged. Misinformation and the deliberate ignoring of facts is there modus operandi. As instructive as anything is a comparison of the response to the role of the NSA during the worst years of the Niger Delta crisis and the current security challenges.

Save for those with short memories, most people would testify that during those long dark days of the Niger Delta crisis, when the nation lay prostate at the mercy of the men from the swamps, few people would be able to say who the National Security Adviser was, let alone how well he was doing his job.

There was little overt criticism of the NSA and how well he was fighting the militants; the advisory role of the NSA was

implicitly acknowledged as such and the focus of commentary was on how effective or otherwise the security men in the trenches were doing.

Why the radical change of focus? If I were to take a politically-incorrect leaf from the current NSA’s book, I would hazard a guess that the fact that his position, for so long the preserve of a particular region of the country, is no longer so, is a bridge too far for a recalcitrant minority. With

These men in the shadows are not wrong; the president’s National Security Adviser is by law mandated to perform critical functions: he is to advise the President on matters concerning the intelligence activities of the National Security agencies; he is to make recommendations to the President in relation to the activities of the agencies; he is to prepare and ensure implementation of policies and programmes of national intelligence priorities; and, direct the appropriate agencies on the production of intelligence on subjects of interest.

Given the nature of the criticisms levelled against the NSA, the uninitiated might be slightly puzzled by the remit of his responsibilities; it would appear to them that it is the lieutenants and sergeants that ought to be asked what happened on their watch. Be that as it may, those in the know will recognise that the role is indeed pivotal for shaping national security policy. The current NSA is looking both at the forest and the trees and in so doing laying policy foundations for the future.

Is it that propensity for strategic thinking the gives cause for concern? The key to success in the near term lies in the co-ordinated activity of the various agencies rather than inter-agency rivalry that is proving so debilitating; no single agency can fight the terror threat in isolation. In the longer run however, the current NSA’s approach of devising a National Security Policy and a National Counter-Terrorism Strategy are the lasting foundations that we MUST put in place if we are not to find ourselves disabled the next time difficult security circumstances confront us.

We must not take our eyes off the ball.

Abiola Phillips is a Lagosbased Attorney.

44— SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

BY PATRICK OMORODION

the National Stadium in Lagos when the Nigeria Football Association, NFA then, had to cut their track suit trousers after an oficial forgot their jerseys at their Obasanjo Farms camp in Otta.

He even perfected it in Tunisia and for this earned a pat on the back from Yekini with the greeting, Omo daadaa, a Yoruba word for good boy.

Like I said earlier, in Tunisia Yekini was not happy with the behaviour of some of his team-mates. The team was divided along three lines, the party freaks, the smoking group and the timid set which some of them believed Yekini led.

The party freaks among them always found a way of sneaking out of camp at night to visit Night clubs to unwind after a day’s hard training sessions which Johannes Bonfrere handled well to the admi-

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ot many know about the humble beginning of the naïve boy from Ira in Kwara State of Nigeria. Some versions have it that he was just a car spray painter while another version says he was a corner street vulcaniser, helping to repair punctured tyres of vehicles in Kaduna.

What most later found out was that he played in the Nigerian league for United Nigeria Textile Limited, UNTL Football Club of Kaduna between 1981 and 1982 from where he joined Shooting Stars of Ibadan. It may have been at Shooting Stars, fondly called Up sootin by its fans, that Yekini was spotted by Chief Adegboye Onigbinde who drafted him into the then Green Eagles squad preparaing for the 1984 Africa Nations Cup in Cote d’Ivoire.

He did not feature prominently in that squad which lost 1-3 to Cameroon in the final. He was again in the Eagles squad for the Maroc ’88 edition but like in ’84, Yekini was still learning the ropes from his more senior colleagues and did not ‘shine’ much.

His climb to glory began in a fast pace at the 1990 and 1992 editions of the Nations Cup in Algeria and Senegal where the Eagles bagged silver and bronze respectively, of course courtesy of Yekini’s goalscoring prowess which had blossomed.

Nigeria had never qualified for the World Cup but Super Eagles coach, Clemens Westerhof who came in after the 1990 ticket loss to Cameroon saw the potential in Yekini and thus built his team around the six footer who fans gave the sobriquet, ‘gangling’.

On the way to qualifying for the 1994 World Cup, the Eagles had a crucial match against rivals, Cote d’Ivoire in 1993 at their popular Houephet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan and Westerhof banked on a win or at most a draw from the encounter.

Early in that match, the Eagles had a begging chance with Yekini positioned to finish up the Eagles’ build-up but a ‘selfish’ Samson Siasia turned away from Yekini, prefering to go solo and in the process blew the chance even after the Ivorian players had given up on an imminent Nigerian goal. Westerhof was furious and was almost leaving out Siasia from his squad.

The setback did not deter Yekini nor the entire team as they fought doggedly to qualify for their first World Cup in front of the Algerian fans in the last match of the qualifiers.

The entire team were eulogised but Yekini, through whom most of the vital goals came, was the real hero and his name played on the lips of all, young and old, men and women, including the kids.

So it was also at the 1994 Africa Nations in Tunisia. The Eagles were considered favourites alongside host Tunisia, following their form in the World Cup qualifiers. Names like Sunday Oliseh, Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi and of course Yekini played on the lips of Tunisians, more than their own players.

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his is because they feared that the Eagles were the real dangers who could prevent them from joining the winners of the diadem which they have never won before then, even as host in 1965.

The Tunisians didn’t meet the Eagles before they were sent packing after the first

YEKINI:

How Abacha, team-mates contributed to Yekini’s demise round of matches. From then their loyalty shifted to the Eagles and the chants from them either in taxis, from their home balconies or walking on the streets were, ‘Nigeria, coupe de Afrique’, which those of us sports journalists covering the competition later found out meant, ‘Nigeria for the Cup or Champions of Africa’.

Everywhere we went, Tunisians wanted to pose for photographs with us. At a shop, one Tunisian even mistook one of us, Kola Bakare, who was with the Herald of Ilorin then, for Yekini.

They even believed more because Kola was a Muslim like Yekini and responded well to their Arabic greetings. The shoe seller who later found out that Kola was not Yekini, told us to askYekini to visit his shop to take as many shoes as he wanted as his own package for him for his football prowess.

While all these lasted and the competition wore on, not many knew the pains Yekini was going through from the behaviour of his team-mates which he thought could derail their set objective in Tunisia, that is, be the first set of Eagles to win the Nations Cup

ration of Westerhof. The smoking group in the company of some sports journalists and Nigerian officials discovered joints where they went to allegedly smoke some raps of cannabis. Yekini, we got to know later allegedly confronted some of them on these, but he was rebuffed.

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on away soil.

Yekini came into the competition as a hero, after just being crowned African Footballer of the Year 1993. He wanted to put an icing on his cake by winning the Nations Cup too.

He believed in his team-mates to deliver just like he wanted to do and so felt that total concentration would help their cause.

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mong his team-mates, the Ira-born enigma had so much respect for and trust in three, Finidi George, Sunday Oliseh and Emmanuel Amuneke. George for his dribble runs on the wings and al-

most near perfect crosses into the middle for him to finish up.

Oliseh for his long range passes from the middle to wherever he (Yekini) was upfront to chest down and volley into the net.

Amuneke’s asset was his ability to waltz through defenders from the left into the 18 metre box and whenever he hits the brick wall, lays a through pass to Yekini between opponents swarm of legs. He was never selfish like Siasia, Yekini may have thought.

Finidi did it so well in most matches, especially in the 6-0 demolition of Burkina Faso at

he team didn’t really have the full control of their skipper, Stephen Keshi, alias Big Boss, who was more or less a non-playing captain nor stand-in captain, Austin Eguavoen, always not wanting to hurt a fly. A group which later turned out a mafia dictated the tune then.

That the Eagles won the Cup after an initial scare from a youthful Zambian side led by Kalusha Bwalya, who missed being killed along his generation of players in an air crash off the coast of Gabon a few months earlier, was by divine providence.

This cold affection among the Eagles was transferred to the USA ’94 World Cup. The camaradarie in the team ended after the first match which the Eagles won 3-0 against Bulgaria. As usual, Finidi was at his best from the wings and predictably Yekini finished up for what turned out a history making performance for the team.

Continues on Page 45

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012—45

Continued from page 44 Like it or not, many of his team-mates were shocked that rather than run to his colleagues to celebrate the goal, Yekini ran into the net to celebrate before the camera which showed him around the world.

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hat was how the conspir acy theory was hatched.

The players allegedly decided that Yekini was taking the glory alone for scoring and therefore other players should be placed in vantage positions to score too. Other problems like agitation for upfront match bonuses cropped up and the team was torn apart after they blew their chance to qualify for the quarter finals against the Arigo Sachhi-tutored Italian side.

The team were recalled for their title defence in 1996 after the 1994 World Cup fiasco but Westerhof was no longer in-charge after his 1994 experience of a near players revolt.

Keshi had retired and Eguavoen too had been dropped with goalkeeper Peter Rufai assuming captainship of the ‘new’ team.

Yekini had scored a total of 13 Nations Cup goals, one short of the African record of 14 held by Cote d’Ivoire’s Laurent Pokou. As champions, the Eagles looked forward to defend the title in South Africa and Yekini had a mission, to equal and possibly topple Pokou as the all time top scorer in the Africa Nations Cup history.

That was the era of Nigeria’s maximum ruler, late General Sani Abacha who against all good advice hanged world acclaimed writer and social critic, Ken Saro Wiwa along with eight of his kinsmen.

Nelson Mandela, then president of the new South Africa, kicked and led the world in condemning the gruesome murder.

This, Abacha would not take and saw the boycott of Nigeria from the Nations Cup in South Africa as the best way to hit back at Mandela. He knew what to do. He invited then Sports Minister, Chief Jim Nwobodo and top shots of the NFA. A handful of Eagles players, among them, the group now fondly referred to as the mafia who had access to Abacha’s Chief Security Officer, Major Hamza Al-Mustafa. Yekini was left out, it was gathered.

To the astonishment of the entire football lovers in the country and Yekini himself, Abacha ordered the Eagles out of the Nations Cup, offering to pay the Eagles what they could have earned as bonuses if they had participated.

Like the Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuade Okunade said after a meeting of traditional rulers

•Yekini (2nd left squatting) with team-mates

How Abacha, team-mates contributed to Yekini’s demise with Abacha over the clamour for MKO Abiola’s electoral mandate in 1993 that the darkspectacled dictator was “talking sense”, Rufai as Eagles skipper was asked to explain to his colleagues the Head of State’s position on the competition and he told them there was sense in what Abacha wanted them to do, boycott the Nations Cup.

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ekini was crest fallen as his long time dream of making history was dashed on the altar of selfishness and fear on the part of his colleagues and administrators respectively. He was not growing younger and the fact that CAF had also handed Nigeria a twoyear ban, meant that he would also miss the 1998 edition scheduled for Burkina Faso.

His participation at the 1998 World Cup was not better as the mafia had gathered more powers from Al-Mustafa who offered them the presidential jet to junket around the country while their mates sweated out at training sessions. They even strolled into the Eagles camp in Morschach, a serene

•Late Sani Abacha

village about 47 km from Zurich in Switzerland and then coach, Bora Milutinovic could not sanction them for fear that he too could be thrown out of the team.

The training they had in Switzerland could best be described as a retreat by funseeking spoil-brats because rather than concentrate on their training, the same party group in Tunisia with the Abacha boys found time to play around with girls imported into their camp by a Europe-based Nigerian musician who played a decour on the camp commandant, whose name I’ll keep out of print, by claiming the girls were his band girls.

The effect of this distraction in camp was exposed in the friendly in Amsterdam where the Patrick Kluivert inspiredDutch team tore the Eagles apart at the Amsterdam Arena, home of Ajax Amsterdam.

The defeat not withstanding, some of the players trooped out to town in hired Limousines to party to the chagrin of Nigerian fans, some of whom came all the way from

•Clements Westerhof

London.

I write all these because I witnessed the mess right from Morschach to Amsterdam and I remember one of the furious fans from London that day who confronted the players at their hotel is a Nigerian football management consultant, Rotimi Pedro.

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hough another Nigerian African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba came out to speak on the conspiracy theory in the Eagles camp against Yekini on Supersport the other day, claiming there was nothing of such, he indirectly averred to its existence when he affirmed that some players felt Yekini took all the glory of his scoring prowess alone to himself.

I make bold to say that prior to the World Cup in France as the Eagles departed Amsterdam for Paris, Ikpeba almost created a scene at the Schipol airport, complaining to then NFA chairman, Col Abdulmumuni Aminu that there were some favoured players in the team who broke camp rules and even arrived late to camp and weren’t sanctioned, stressing that it was going to count against the team at the World Cup. And it did count as the Eagles were bundled out after a disasterous 4-0 spanking in the hands of Denmark.

That result poured cold water on their scintillating 3-2 defeat of Spain in their first match.

Yekini witnessed all these and as a conservative among them was pained inwardly even though he couldn’t voice his anger like Ikpeba did. And so by the time Nigeria served out her ban and co-hosted the Nations Cup with Ghana in

2000, Yekini had lost his spark and potency in front of goal and in fact was no longer part of the Eagles squad.

He then withdrew into his cocoon and had little to do with the Nigerian system or his team-mates, except of course goalkeeper Ike Shorounmu, who like Yekini was level headed, a teetotaler as well as a neighbour in Ibadan.

For those who said Yekini’s team-mates never ganged up against him because of the claim that he took all the glory, one time Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer, Amusa Adisa confirms that Yekini told his friends and associates it was true.

According to Adisa, even when the late footballer told them his feelings, they tried to disabuse his mind from the thoughts which they felt could kill his morale, he stood his ground, stressing that, “he doesn’t want to have anything to do with Nigerian football for the fact that his team-mates and some other people were envious of him and were not happy about his success in the team.

Scoring goals was the bane as they ganged-up against him saying he was having the glory alone. Since then, he refused to come close to football activities. We tried as much as we could to bring him back during the (2010) World Cup but he refused. Then, we were trying to disabuse his mind from these thoughts but he was not getting along with us and that was where the problem started.”

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greed Yekini didn’t have a stable marriage, was allegedly duped by a business associate, the fact that he felt betrayed by some of his teammates and was ignored by even those who are supposedly in-charge of football in the country, made him withdraw from the public.

The lonely life he led could have affected him mentally, a situation that eventually degenerated until the worst happened on Friday, May, 4, 2011.

Yekini was ignored by all, like the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji said during the week.

May be if the country, the football authorities, his teammates and friends were there for him, involving him in activities, may be he would have been alive today. If the country had celebrated him while he was alive, may be the worst wouldn’t have happened.

Despite his educational shortcomings, Yekini could express himself. He was a bigger football ambassador and could have been welcomed around the world helping to promote Nigerian football.

C M Y K

46— SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

BY TAYE OBATERU

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alpable fear of possible strike from the dread ed terrorists has gripped many tertiary institutions in the Northern part of the country following recent terrorist attacks on some institutions. First was at the Gombe State University before last Sunday’s attack on worshippers at the Old Campus of Bayero University, Kano where scores of innocent people were either sent to grave prematurely or were injured.

Where next? is the question on the lips of many and students say they are enveloped by fear of any eventuality.

Prior to the attacks, security had been beefed up in many university campuses following alleged threats from the sect. Apart from rigorous search of bags, sophisticated metal detectors have been acquired to screen vehicles driving into the institutions.

Concrete barriers have been placed at strategic places to prevent any surprise attack.

At the University of Jos, the management had in the past few weeks spent a lot of money on various security measures to preserve the lives and property of staff members and students of the institution. Concrete barriers now don the gates and around the Administrative Block while those going into the building are subjected to proper checks with a metal detector. Laptops and similar gadgets also have to be registered at entry points to major buildings.

Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications) of the university, Mr. Steve Otowo said the management led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Hayward Mafuyai was alive to his responsibility of ensuring the security of staff students and property of the university. He said the university had been working with security agencies in addition to other internal security arrangements to forestall any ugly incident.

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espite this assurance, however, students who spoke to Saturday Vanguard said they were afraid and called for more stringent measures to secure the university. Some of them saw the security arrangements on ground as ineffective and porous which could be exploited by those with evil intent to infiltrate the institution.

For Edith Aliyu, a 400level Microbiology student, the spate of attacks on

TERROR ATTACKS

Fear grips students

know who they are and they might pretend to be students.

There is a need for proper surveillance, a kind of secret service that will not wear uniform but they will be working among students.

“Before you can surmount such an organized group that has gone through adequate training evident in their recent attack and their mode of attack, there is a need for a stronger and higher intelligence.

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Unijos student educational institutions is worrisome. “I think it is having a serious impact and effect on the psyche of Unijos students of which I am one.

Looking at the latest and recent attacks on universities, many wonder who will be the next? We pray it will not be Unijos”, she said. She called for more effective checks of people moving in and out of the university and for welltrained internal security personnel to handle the checks.

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hidinma Eze, a 400 -Level Accounting student had this to say: “The gunmen attacks on universities are demoralizing on students.

University of Jos should strengthen their security and do more than they are doing right now. I know it is God that will guide us but we also have to watch and pray. I can no longer go to town because of these bombings.

The university should get well equipped instrument to be able to detect bombs. More federal government securities will be appreciated like soldiers and mopols.

Faith Ochai, a 300-Level student of Political Science added a new dimension. Her words: “I feel it is because the gunmen do not have a future, that is why they are killing the leaders of tomorrow and the university should take drastic actions to prevent any attack such as bringing in more security agents. It will be good if the university can fence the school properly.

The checking of ID card though good, may not achieve desired results because a gunman can easily make an ID card claiming to be a staff or student and bring in bombs.

In his own case, Olamide Eseyin, a final year Computer Science student wants the security personnel in the institution to be more up and doing, decrying occasional situations when gates to parts of the university are left unmanned, a situation which could serve as an opportunity for those out for evil.

“Sometimes, no security personnel can be found at the gate post. People walk in freely and go out freely. In main campus where I take lectures, before the crisis, the almajiris, at Angwan Rogo (the adjoining community to

Unijos gate

the campus) used to jump through the fence into the premises.

The Administrative Block is just a fence away from Angwan Rogo. Can gunmen not go through there to the administrative block?”, he noted.

Another student, Bernard Amaechi who is in 400 Level Economics Education had this to say: “This issue of security affecting us.

Terrorism affects everybody and it has been a thorn on our flesh but this recent trend of trying to attack universities is really worrisome and disturbing. The university must strengthen its security.

There should be strong security within the hostels.

These gunmen do not wear uniform. They do not have identification so you do not

his group has shown so far that they are organized. Since they are organized, there is need for intelligence gathering, welltrained, experienced security personnel who have higher experience training to be able to curb and checkmate this menace of gunmen. Unijos security personnel must be well trained. They should also employ more hands so that they can man every corner of the school.”

It is obvious from the comments of students that the fear of gunmen has gripped many campuses making staff members and students alike worried and afraid. Many hope that the security measures would help stave off any further strike by the dreaded sect in any other tertiary institution.

Prof. Hayward Mafuyai

SA TURD A Y Vanguard SATURD TURDA anguard,,

MA Y 12, 2012— 47 MAY

Ondo residents jubiliat eo ehicles jubiliate ovver 290 vvehicles

I

t was indeed a great day last Wednesday for the citizens of Ondo State. A huge succor it was too for the teeming population of the S u n s h i n e s t a t e . T h a t d a y, t h e G o v e r n o r, D r. O l u s e g u n M i m i k o launched with fanfare 290 vehicles meant to meet their transportation needs in the face of the agonizing effect of the recently removed oil subsidy.

Ondo people in appreciation of the gesture were full of praises for the governor who fulfilled one of the pledges he made to the people. The unusual display of fancifully modelled vehicles painted in the Sunshine state’s official colour doted almost the entire length of the popular Oba Adesida road in Akure, the state capital was not for fun,but indeed they were ready for commissioning for the use of the populace.

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t will be recalled that the decision of the Federal Government to remove subsidy on petroleum products in January this year sparked off a nationwide protest. The protest caused a hiccup in commercial and government activities, with the organised labour and human rights groups questioning the rationale behind the government decision.

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rotesters in Ondo State were very civil in their conduct throughout the protest period. Though the -sit- at-home order of the pressure groups were adhered to, the killings and violence that characterised the protest in other parts of the country was absent in the state. The reason for this is not farfetched. The state

governor, reputed for his caring heart had promised that he would do everything within his power to ensure that the oil subsidy removal does not have any crushing effect on them. The people ensured that the agitation over the oil subsidy debacle was not hijacked by the opposition in the state to foment trouble, hence, they ensured that no street protest took place. This, they did in honour of Governor Mimiko,and he did not allow the people to wait for too long before he did the unexpected.

Just when workers in most of the

,

By FEMI ADEPOJU

hence the unprecedented salary package which had since sent the government workers to the streets in jubilation.

As if that was not enough palliative, the governor decided to ensure that the larger society also benefit from the palliative measures, hence the purchase of 290 vehicles to be distributed across the state.

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he National Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW) will work out the modalities of its distribution across the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade

Mimiko who was already paying the N18, 000 minimum wage surprisingly announced a takehome pay of N22, 500 for civil servants in the state

states of the federation were still agitating for a N18, 000 per month minimum wage , Mimiko who was already paying the N18, 000 minimum wage surprisingly announced a minimum take-home pay of N22, 500 for civil servants in the state thus making Ondo the highest salary paying state in the country.

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overnor Mimiko had reasoned that for civil servants to be able to cope with economic hardship heralded by the subsidy removal, they should be paid more than what has been a p p r o v e d t o h a v e m o r e m o n e y,

,

speaking on the latest government move noted that the gesture was meant to ease transportation problems across the state.

Akinmade gave the breakdown of the 290 vehicles to include 200 Suzuki cabs, 26-Seater buses with 20 for intra City shuttle, 59 -Seater buses, with 20 for free school shuttle and 50 Hiace Commuter buses for intra state transportation.

The Commissioner further explained that the 59 sitter buses for free school shuttle will be dedicated to pupils and students of primary and secondary schools in the state.

According to the Akinmade, arrangements have been concluded

with the NURTW on the modalities for the distribution and management of the vehicles.

That the commissioning came a day after the Workers Day celebration also made the event grand. It afforded those who could not be part of the May Day rally where workers in the state voiced their support for the clamour for Governor Mimiko to run for a second term in office to also show their solidarity.

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hile parents were particularly jubilant that their wards would henceforth go to school with the government bearing the cost of their transportation, a cross section of residents also gave Governor Mimiko kudos because of the great impact the uniformed commercial vehicles would have on the urban renewal and beautification of the state.

Mrs. Edith Olagunsoye, a widow said she cannot wait for the free ride for pupils to commence. According to her, she will be greatly relieved economically if the burden of transporting her five children to and from school is taken off her by the government. Full of praise for Governor Mimiko, Mrs. Olagunsoye, who is also a civil servant said there has never been a better reason for her to rejoice since the death of her husband five years ago if not the new minimum wage and the free transportation for her children as being provided by Governor Mimiko.

If what Akinmade said at the commissioning is anything to go by, what Olagunsoye is rejoicing over is just a tip of the iceberg.

Femi Adepoju wrote from Ondo State

Anambra State and its governors

By OKECHUKWU ANARADO

I

n the practice of politics, and in life, it is conventional that peo ple identify with groups whose convictions and acts appear in tandem with theirs. In climes where people hold strong views about how their society should be administered, such convictions are often akin to the appeal of religion which quietly envelopes the totality of a people’s thinking and powerfully compels them to act only in keeping with the edicts permissible by such beliefs. In all of this however, the common denominator, no matter how subtly posited, is traceable to the economy of the people’s pocket – how they source their daily bread.

Anambra State is not exempted from the verity of the above overview. The play of politics in the State expounds this bread and butter postulation. Economic allurements provide the infrastructure on which many found their convictions and worldview. To a very large extent, many

Chief (Dr.) Chukwuemeka Ezeife’s administration in Anambra State, the first civilian government in the State, was a product of the military system which consumed it shortly. The very brief spell of his administration (January 1992 to November 1993) hardly positions him for significant evaluation. It was evident, however, that he meant well with his come-home philosophy through which he sought to make Anambra people repatriate their wealth. His exit paled into a nondescript stretch of military interference which left its indelible throes on the State.

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ith the birth of the Fourth Re public in 1999 came Dr. Chimaroke Mbadinuju who won the state gubernatorial seat under the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP). The celebration of Mbadinuju’s victory was short lived, as signs of failure of the administration became manifest in the early stage of his four- year term. His (in)actions in

This tendency, endemic in our culture, manifests in various degrees reflective of the value thrust of the constituent authorities prevailing at any given time there are who rather think with their stomach than engage their heads in the function of discerning where to lodge their allegiance. This tendency, endemic in our culture, manifests in various degrees reflective of the value thrust of the constituent authorities prevailing at any given time.

government provided classical reference on the cost of timidity in handling state power. Anambra State suffered the presence of boorish godfathers who rode it rough shod. Dr. Mbadinuju merely clamoured to satisfy the vile voracity and quenchless appetites of these men who continually breathed hot air over his neck.

He proved helpless as he obliged his benefactors all they sought while depriving Ndi-Anambra almost all they needed to subsist. That era witnessed a free fall of all the sectors of the state’s economy. Little wonder the PDP, even in its infamy, found Mbadinuju unworthy of flying its flag for a second term bid, hence the choice of Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige as his replacement for Anambra State

gubernatorial election of 2003.

Since the unholy manner Dr. Ngige was schemed into office is not our subject today, a look at his reign holds him as a rabble rousing politician with the capacity to rebel against forces before which his predecessor would have freely buckled.

In fairness to history, Dr. Ngige represents the first thrust at physically impacting on the state. He initiated the construction of roads for which his relevance in the state still counts till date. Records however hold that Anambra State was most unstable in his time; recall that Dr. Ngige suffered abduction as the chief executive of the state. Ngige’s Anambra turned a jungle with dire ‘dog-eat-dog’ features amongst the in-house political gladiators. While Ngige’s most significant achievement was the dislodgement of the cabals who otherwise were determined to perpetually keep the state under hostage; his inability to manage the fall out of such boldness crippled the state. This failure, in addition to the moral burden of illegitimacy, left him little chance for advancement. When the judgement of the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu invalidated his authority in 2006, Dr. Ngige dawdled out of power clawing and kicking.

Mr. Peter Obi of All Progressives Grand Alliance whose 2003 mandate was hijacked by Ngige and PDP was therefore

installed governor only in April, 2006. He inherited the unenviable confusion that Dr. Ngige wallowed in. Mr. Obi identified poor planning and wanton profligacy as the banes of advancement in the state. Despite the early years’ hiccups his administration suffered, he worked out a blueprint for the development of Anambra State. Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS) was therefore conceptualized as the force driving the operations of government. ANIDS generates ideas, structures them and puts them to function. It prioritizes needs of the people against the resources available to the state. It does a comprehensive appreciation of the economy of the state and appropriates funds for a simultaneous development of all the sectors. Mr. Obi’s pragmatic approach to governance is in keeping with his belief that ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail’. for Development Partners to throng the state seeking to identify with the successes of the governor.

Against the backdrop of my introductory postulation on ‘my pocket and stomach welfare,’ it is understandable to find abiding followership around some flambouyant politicians in the state whose relevance derives from their capacity to momentarily wet the tongues of their band members. Members of such group mind less whatever enduring functions any other patron serves the greater part of the society. This fundamental slip of reason grossly misrepresents fairness in the appraisal of those whose (in)actions input on the making of Anambra State, a state today on course to sustainable civilization.

Okechukwu Anarado writes from Awka

48 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012

Imo State boils as kidnaphomes, rape mother of five,

By ALBERT AKPOR

T

HE spate of violent crimes and the recklessness with which criminals unleash terror on hapless residents of Imo state; especially those living in villages and suburbs, is assuming a frightening dimension.

The state government and by extension, the police command seem helpless as these faceless terrorists of the state are effortlessly milking their victims and smiling to the banks.

Apart from the fear and trepidation the spate of insecurity has caused in the minds of residents of the entire state, social and commercial life in the city has been brought to its knees as fun seekers that hitherto troop into the state en masse at weekends, now avoid it like a plague. Unlike the trend in other states where the menace of kidnapping is rife, in Imo state, kidnappers take time to dine and wine in their victims’ residence, rape any woman on sight before taking their targeted victim.

This was the bizarre scenario that played out in Umunana village in Iti Ezinihitte, Mbaise local government area in the state recently during which a house wife and mother of five, Mrs. Ngozi (surname withheld) was callously and serially raped by a three- man gang of kidnapers before abducting her two children. Date was April 17, 2012 and time was 2.30am. As at the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the innocent children, 11 months old Onyekachi and Olumachi, a two- year-old boy is yet to be known.

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nsuspectingly, the woman and her two children had left her husband’s Umunoria village to visit her aged mother in Umunama within the same local council with a view to assisting her harvest farm produce when the ugly incident occurred.

Deep into the night of that day, the mother of five was cruelly jolted from a deep sleep by three gun-wielding men and a woman who apparently led the squad as a later revelation showed.

Reports say it was the woman who pointed a torchlight at the sleeping children, took them

Ngozi: rape victim and her kidnapped kids into custody amid cries for help that never came while the randy kidnappers led their panic -gripped mum into another room where her hands were tied, blind-folded and took time to forcefully have sexual intercourse with her. In the mean time, Mrs Ngozi’s aged mother was equally tied down and gagged and that provided the sexstarved kidnappers ample opportunity to carry out their cruelty. After about 45 minutes, the kidnappers-cumrapists who reportedly took their turns disappeared from the house with the two children to an unknown destination.

Narrating her ordeal in an emotion -laden voice, Mrs. Ngozi who wept like the biblical Rachael that refused to be consoled over the whereabouts of her children said,“Raping me in succession was painful and traumatic but I am more pained and worried about the whereabout of my little innocent kids. What is the offense of an 11- monthbaby, what is the offense of a two- year -old boy? What is

my offense, who have I offended that has found it so hard to forgive me; so much so that it was extended to my innocent children?”

Continuing, she said, “ Since

this is harvesting season, I left my husband’s village, Umuoria Itu in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local government council of Imo state on April 14 , to visit my mother at

Umunama so that I could lend her a hand in her farm work.

On April 17, deep into the night, my children, mother and I were fast asleep when we were woken up by a very

Bombings: Police in aggressive

By ALBERT AKPOR

S

ave for the Biafra/Nigeria civil war of 1967-1970 during which all kinds of unimaginable weapons including bombs and explosives were used, bombs-whether suicide or improvised were alien to Nigeria. This accounted largely for the reason why Nigerians expressed shock and dismay over the resort to the wanton use of bombs and explosives by some aggrieved militants in the northern states of the federation to destroy lives and property.

However, the anti-bomb unit of the police which was originally formed after the civil war in the country to identi-

fy and perhaps, detonate unexploded objects of the war, has continued to brace up to the present security challenges in the country especially, in the northern states of the federation.

The unit has, therefore, embarked on aggressive training and re-training of personnel to meet with the evolving trends. Already, over 100 police officers drawn from various commands across the country are undergoing training at the police college, Ikeja, Lagos while many more are expected to be trained after the graduation of these officers.

Th Commissioner of Police, anti-bomb unit otherwise

known as the Explosive Ordinance Disposal, EOD, department, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo said his command was poised at meeting with the evolving security challenges in the country; urging participants in the course to make good use of the opportunity to serve the unit better at the end of the training.

According to him, “The EOD’s role is now more pronounced than ever in view of the recent events with unprecedented pressure and increasing demands from the commands, government institutions, private organizations, religious bodies and even embassies;

Vanguard, SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012 — 49

pers invade kidnap kids

,

Raping me in succession was painful and traumatic but I am more pained and worried about the whereabout of my little and innocent kids, what is the offense of an 11month- baby, what is the offense of a two- year -old boy

,

Imo Gov Rochas Okorocha rude noise. Shortly after wards, I saw three gun men in my room with a woman who apparently was conducting them around. They slapped me, held my aged mother while the woman took custody of my children who were at the time crying aloud.

“My hands were tied with ropes, I was blindfolded and

led to a corner of the room, stripped naked and raped in turns.

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hile the men were raping me, I could hear them uttering unprintable words about my husband while the woman who apparently could have been coming to peep at the men on

top me laughed scornfully .

That day would remain the worst day of my life. When it was clear that the men were done with me, they left with my children to unknown destination.

It was sympathizers that later came at dawn to untie me and my mother.”

Calling on the state government and the police to find those in custody of her kids, a visibly traumatized Ngozi said, “When the incident happened, we reported it at the Itu Police station only for me to hear that there are several rape cases in the community; but my worry is the safety and wherabout of my children. As I speak to you, the police have not been

able to come out with anything even as the kidnappers have not placed any ransom on the innocent kids. What is their offense, where are they keeping them?” She broke down in tears.

A prominent indigene of Itu, Chief Nkemdirim Ameachi who expressed worries over incessant rape cases in the community said the state government and the police have been contacted over the issue adding that the government owe a duty to safeguard its citizenry.

“When this incident happened, the community met and through a letter by the President-general, Elder Eberechi Nwaogu, we expressed our shock and anger to the state commissioner of police . We indicated that the matter be transferred to the SCID so that it will be properly investigated. We, as a community, are not happy about this incident and we call on the acting IGP and the Imo state government to track these kidnapers and rescue the children”

Three arraigned over threat to kill Rector

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

T

HREE porters with the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos have been arraigned by the Lagos State Police Command, before an Ebute Metta Magistrate Court in Lagos, over an alleged threat to kill the Rector of the institution, Dr. Magaret Oladipo.

The accused persons, Nasiru Yinusa, 23, Akinde Eniola, 26, and Omoyeni Pratt who are facing a three-count charge of felony, threat to kill and attempted stealing, were alleged to have demanded N3 million from the Rector. According to the prosecutor, Emmanuel Essien, the accused persons committed the alleged offences at the institution on 20 April 2012.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused persons claimed they were secret cult members while threatening the Rector

on phone before demanding the sum of N3 million from her.

Essien stated that the defendants, including a woman, sent an account number to the Rector where the amount demanded would be paid into, adding that the alleged offences contravened Section 21, 300 and 409 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State. According to the charge sheet, “following a report, the police traced the account to Yinusa, who was immediately arrested and he later produced Eniola and Pratt, all porters in the institution.”

When the plea of the accused persons were taken before the open Court, they pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them and the magistrate granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties each in like sum.

Meanwhile, the matter was adjourned to May 21.

training of officers clamouring for our services on daily basis. Undoubtedly, our present strength is over stretched and unable to cope with the challenges at hand and it has become pertinent to urgently increase the command workforce to meet with the emerging trends.

“The approval to train the first batch of course 15A comprising of one hundred officers and men for the period of four weeks is timely as outlined in the InspectorGeneral of Police IGP Mohammed Abubakar’s vision and mission to transform and improve the general security situation in the country.”

Continuing, Mr. Adebanjo said, “The frightening and le-

thal usage of explosives do manifest itself in form of suicide bombings, arson, vehicle- borne Improvised Explosive Devices IEDs, destruction of private/government establishments and security agencies offices/residence have become targets of attacks.

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he mischievous mis use and or misapplication of IEDs in methods that suits the users unjustifiably and irrationally measure their redress of any perceived injustice or wrong doing to individual or group in our society. It is to this end that I wish to enjoin you to make good use of the oppor-

•CP Adebanjo with the participants at the training grand. tunity and privilege provided for you by the IGP for organizing this important training.

You should ensure that the

resources invested on the training are not wasted but to help in promoting this command’s proficiency and professionalism,” he stated.

•CP Adebanjo in full EOD bomb suit

50 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012—51

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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bout five gunmen last Monday morning took positions at a bent in Kakeyi village, 2 km east of Zaria city and about 5 km from the N24 billion mindbugling 150 million litres per day Zaria new water treatment plant.

They set up a road block and went on to rob people, as villagers attested and confirmed by the Kaduna State Police Command.

Two expatriates working on the site and another Nigerian were on their way to the project site when they drove into the trap.

In a swift operation, they bandits gunned down and killed Mr. Padi Ibrahim, and abducted another Amir Drek all Lebanese. Mallam Aliyu Nuruddeen, the Nigerian was cut down by the bullets of robbers.

A huge pale was cast over the morale of the workers of Mothercat Nigerian Limited – the contractor with rising fears that the projects which had suffered several setbacks and had been a subject of all kinds of controversies, may again, suffer frustration.

But, yesterday Kaduna State Commissioner of Water Resources, Bar. Sunday Marshall Katung, said after several assurances by the state

After bandits killed two abducted Lebanese, amazing Zaria Water works goes on improve public health and standard of living in Zaria City and surroundings as well as increase the investment and operational conditions for industrial and commercial activities in the city, thereby enhancing opportunities for employment with improved livelihood of the residents in the city and environs”, according to the owners of the project.

Gov Yakowa

government to the staff of the company, work has resumed after the initial fear and anxiety.

The 150 ml/d Zaria Regional Water Works, as some call it, has on its own been a subject of anxiety after several billions had been sunk in the past, to reap what the public regards as appaling results.

Yet, this is an amazing conception whose incredible design and scope has been transferred from paper to ground expected to, “

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esterday, Katung bet his honour on timely completion of the work in December, 2013 saying he had a very rigid and strict instruction from Governor Patrick Yakowa to ensure that the notion of the project being jinxed was dismissed.

That may be true, looking at the economic, social and even strategic importance of Zaria, to Kaduna state, the grim reason for the project is captured by the African Development Fund (ADF), in assement of the Zaria situation as thus: “Zaria City water supply system was originally constructed in 1939. It was expanded in 1975. The current production capacity of Zaria Water Supply System is

26,000 m3/d (belowthe current demand of 100,000 m3/d), out of a designed capacity of 60,000m3/d. The water distribution system in Zaria is generally characterised by old, poorly maintained infrastructure, with low coverage, high unaccounted-for-water of over 60%.

The high unaccounted rate for water of 60% is due to serious leakages, illegal connections.

In addition there is inadequate metering, poor billing and revenue collection. Due to the low and intermittent piped water coverage most residents depend on shallow wells that are unsanitary and exposed to contamination from surface runoff and proximity to pit latrines” Katung who had reeled out figure after figure to arrive at N27 billion as what the State government was spending in a year to boost water supply to its estimated 7.3 million residents, agreed that the Zaria Water project was far the biggest money guzzler.

“The construction of the 150ml/d Zaria New Water Treatment plant was awarded

to Mssr Mothercat Nig Limited at the cost of N15.711 billion. The contract has now been reviewed to N24. 697 billion as a result of changes in original scope of work and additional components. The Project is intended to serve about N2.2 million people by 2025 residing in 23 communities in 8 local government Areas of the state.

The new treatment plant is put at 72% completion.

The sum of N2.574 billion was paid within the period under review. However, the total amount paid to date is N13.601 billion.

“However, the full capacity utilisation of the 150ml/d Zaria water treatment plant will solely depend on the completion of the multipurpose 186.1 cubic metre Galma Dam that was awarded by the Federal Government to Gilmor Nig. Limited in 2006 at the cost of N4.5 billion.

This was later reviewed to N11.8 billion. Construction work at the site is on-going with progress put at 72%”, he said.

The dark cloud over Potiskum

BY BALA AJIYA, Damaturu

T

he last week massacre of about 100 people by unidentified gunmen at a livestock market (Kasuwan Shanu) in Potiskum Local Government Area Yobe state still leaves some taste in the mouth of many people as some of the victims are still bedridden in the Potiskum hospital.

When our correspondent visited the general hospital in Potiskum and spoke with some of the victims who are on admission, one Mohammed Damboa a 45 year old cola nut seller who was hit by a stray bullet on the chest while in the market at Kasuwan Shanu speaking through his son said that he is a cola nut seller and was hit on the chest by a stray bullet at about 5pm and this is unfortunate according to the son who is standing by his father at the hospital bed. He said in an emotional laden voice that he is only praying for the recovery of his father on good time. “I can’t say anything about this tragedy”. He appealed to the federal government to come to their aid by providing essential drugs

to the victims who cannot afford to buy drugs either in the hospital or at private clinics.

Another victim of the ugly incident, Mohammed Isah who spoke through his son Mohammed Mohammed was also receiving treatment at Potiskum hospital. He narrated that “at about 5:30pm, my father discovered that they were surrounded by gunmen and in a bid to escape, he was

shot at the back and my father was rushed to the house before he was taken to the hospital.

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o we need assistance from the state and federal government because the state government did not provide us with enough relief materials to augument our effort and it is unfair for the state government under the

leadership of Governor Ibrahim Geidam to just neglect us without adequate care . No drug has been provided for us and there is no monetary assistant to enable us to settle our medical bills in a hospital.

We cannot go back to the market to continue with our legitimate business.

“All shops have been burnt down and therefore, we cannot sell our goods in the market anymore for fear of the same tragedy. People are scared to return to the livestock market which is very unfortunate and my anger is that the state government is showing some laxity over the issue.

The condition of some of us admitted in the hospital is sympathetic and is going to render us incapacitated and we can’t be able to take care of our domestic needs let alone buying drugs at private pharmacy.”

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nother victim simply named Sama’ila said he lost all his livestock in the attack . “ I brought my livestock to the market to sell around 10 am and at exactly 5: 30 pm when the incident occurred and due to the pandemonium

that followed, I lost all my livestock worth N1 million. I lost what I laboured for over the years in a day and that is really unfortunate but we call on the state government to assist us in settling our medical bills and what we lost in the market”.

Samaila lamented that the masses are without protection and he implored the state government to provide them adequate security in order to safe guard the lives and property of its citizens in the country.

Mean while, the senator representing Yobe zone B senatorial district Alh. Alkali Jajere commiserated with the victims in the hospital and called on the federal and state government to come to the rescue of the affected persons and provide them with enough security. He equally admonished the federal government for not providing them with adequate security asking President Jonathan Goodluck to resign from office for failing to protect the citizens. The senator donated cash and relief materials to the victims while he prayed for their quick recovery .

52—SA TURD A Y Vanguard 52—SATURD TURDA anguard,,

MA Y 12, 2012 MAY

Faboro: Nigerians should not be denied m a s s housing scheme in FCT

FCT: Two million Nigerians in search of affordable shelter— Faboro P

rince Olubunmi AdewaFaboro, Executive Chairman, FHT Ventures Plc, who are MultiDisciplinary Consultants and Developers. He is a World Bank trained and qualified estate surveyor and valuer with 33 years of experience in the household of real estate development. What he represents in the industry made it possible for him to procure foreign investors into the Nigerian real estate business especially FCT. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard Business, he proffers solution to the confronting challenges of Nigerian real estate business, and how Nigeria can generate huge revenue through agriculture and agrobased industries investment. He also questioned why the mass housing scheme initiated by FG to provide shelter for two million Nigerians in FCT had been defeated, rubbished and hijacked by millionaire Nigerians who feel they are above the law. Excerpts: May we know what FHT Ventures Plc’s activities are in the economy of Nigeria?

FHT was actually a Limited Liability Company before it was turned to a Public Limited Company (Plc). It was registered Plc when the vision of the company came up with the implementation of mega projects in both Housing and Agriculture.

The company since 1990 of its

inception has been trying to formulate policies that can make Mass Housing work in Nigeria and have been trying to partner with government at various levels, both state and federal in making this to be possible.

Recently, FHT initiated a project in Agriculture to promote Agro-based industries and export of food to the entire world. It has not been easy because it took time for Federal Government of Nigeria to realize and create a conducive atmosphere for making Mass Housing projects and Agricultural mega projects to work in Nigeria. But presently, we have already sent proposals to all the State Governors and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and FCT to create the enabling environment for FHT to create new towns in all the State capitals and create Agro-based industries to exist in all the states in Nigeria and use our FADAMA farmers that the World Bank has spent a lot of money in putting in place, to be active, to be Out-growers, supplying all the materials to these Agro-based industries that we want to establish in Nigeria.

We have ongoing efforts as our proposed implementation areas, to start at the last quarter of the year, Bauchi, Sokoto, Oyo, Delta, FCT, Lagos states coming in as our first phase.

We are already concluding our proposal and the issue of overseas funds with both States a n d Federal Government so that we shall not only be using local funds from our banks because t h e i r interest rates are higher, rather we a r e already using our partners in the United States to come up with an onshore fund that would come in at a very l o w interest r a t e under five per cent to be

,

*ask President Jonathan to intervene

able to execute these projects in Nigeria.

You said that one of the company’s vision is to provide shelter for an average Nigerian, how do you intend to achieve that to the benefit of Nigerians?

We are actually working out Public Private Partnership relationships with State Governments, which we have already done with Niger and Bauchi States precisely and we are trying to conclude similar arrangement with FCT. As you are aware, FCT has been trying to come up with what is called Mass Housing Development since 2005 in Abuja, and we have been able to proffer solution and tell the Government what challenges that we have come through in the course of all this.

The company is into promoting agriculture and agro-based industries to make Nigeria earn income from non-oil exports, how will it work?

First and foremost, the transformation agenda of the President favours this presently and this is the first time the Government of Nigeria after the First Republic is taking a very practical view to promote commercial agriculture in this country and giving maximum assistance to farmers in terms of getting them to be registered, making a lot of them to be irrigation farmers referred to as

The transformation agenda of the President favours this presently and this is the first time the Government of Nigeria after the First Republic is taking a very practical view to promote commercial agriculture

,

FADAMA farmers. Also, The World Bank has been putting a lot of money to make FADAMA farmers viable and a lot of farm lands all over Nigeria are now being harnessed to make it possible.

These are the things that encouraged us to formulate a policy whereby we say FADAMA farmers will be our out-growers and they can seriously grow enough raw materials for these industries. We also commend the frantic attempts being made by our government to decentralize Power Holding Company to make the private sector generate power because there is nothing that can work in the industry without genuine source of power.

So with all these things Government is doing, we are very optimistic that given time, within the next twenty four months to thirty six months, there will be dramatic transformation in

agriculture in this country. We have a young man there as our Minister of Agriculture, who is making a sincere effort. So we are queue ing into this transformation agenda and all the templates are in place to make commercial agriculture viable in Nigeria and to make FHT viable so that Nigeria can be the major stock food country in the entire world, which is possible.

Some developers complained bitterly that the process of land allocation to non developers, novice and unqualified Nigerians in FCT has defeated the purpose of mass housing scheme FG initiated, how true is it?

It’s more than true. It took the presence of the present minister, Senator Bala Muhammed to set up a land probe panel and what did it come out with? It revealed that most of the people that got land allocation through El Rufai sold them out illegally, and the Department of Development Control, (FCDA) could not do anything, thereby making it possible for them to sell these lands to dubious millionaires who are building illegally on these lands. Instead of the Development Control to bring down these houses, they are busy hunting other developers in Abuja.

Unfortunately, companies like ours that partnered one of these companies at Coppa Cabana Estate, we lost five hundred million because we mobilized five thousand off-takers; we cleared the land, sunk bole holes, setup our office, only for them to carry out these illegal activities of land sales openly. The shocking aspect of it is that all our attempts to get them prosecuted by the police and EFCC fell on deaf ears, and I tell you that until date EFCC is yet to charge most of these people to court who are illegally building in Copa Cabana Estate. Meanwhile, the real owners of that estate are Brazilians and Nigerians in diaspora, and they have lost three hundred thousand US dollars because they are the people that did all the designs for this estate, while we lost five hundred million naira because we are the Developer/Financiers (with legal agreement with their company) that mobilized five thousand beneficiaries (off-takers), developed the site to some extent before they divided the estate into plots and sold illegally.

Today, Senator Bala

Muhammed is yet to implement the report of the land probe, and all the houses on the site are still standing. God forbid, by the time Boko Haram will finish with the Jonathan administration, they can turn their illegal battle to those estates where millionaires are enjoying their living now after depriving average Nigerians from having affordable homes in these Mass Estates legally meant for them.

Presently, two million Nigerians are squatters in Abuja. People that would have benefitted in the Mass Housing Scheme in FCT are now renting houses at exorbitant rents in some local governments in Nasarawa, Niger States etc. People have been robbed of their affordable homes in FCT, and the President and FCT Minister are yet to take decisive actions against those defaulters and that is pointing to another dangerous dimension in this country that we don’t want to boomerang on this administration.

We all love this democratic government and we want the government to succeed in all facets of our living.

What are the major challenges confronting mass housing in Nigeria?

What is happening in FCT is a clear case study. The President and FCT Minister should identify people who are genuine Estate Developers - companies like FHT Ventures Plc. They should partner sincerely with them, give them landandgiveSovereignGuarantee to companies for offshore fund.

Presently, we have $1.2billion that we have sourced and we want Federal Government to give us Sovereign Guarantee to be able to utilize this fund. Federal Government should stop making any project that is giving offshore fund to be public sector led. It should be private sector led. When things are managed by the private sector, it will not be a burden on the government and individual as well. So government should stop allocating land to portfolio carrying developers, people that are not trained in real estate business. For instance, I can not go and start doing the work of a medical doctor or that of a lawyer. I’m trained to be an Estate Surveyor and Valuer and I’m doing what I love to do most for the past 33 years of my life, having acquired sufficient training and experience from an institution like the World Bank Urban Development Project Unit.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 — 53

54—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

am AFN GOLDEN LEAGUE: Bok Bokoo Har Haram chases athle om KKaduna aduna athlettes fr from A

thletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN has been forced to move the 3rd leg of the Golden League meet from Kaduna to Port Harcourt following threats posed to human life by the terrorists activities in several northern Nigerian cities.

The federation’s technical coordinator, Yusuf Alli disclosed in Lagos that taking the athletes

to Kaduna was a risk officials were not willing to take considering the volatile situation there.

“We do not want to take the risk of going to Kaduna. Too many lives have been lost and we reasoned that taking the athletes there is like putting their lives in danger.

“This is particularly when the mode of dressing of the female athletes during competitions

have always provoked negative reactions in that part of the country,” stated the former Africa long jump champion.

The first leg of the Golden League began in Port Harcourt and was last weekend organised in Akure. On May 19 it will return to Port Harcourt and then Lagos on May 26 before berthing in Warri on June 6 when the final leg will be decided.

Beautiful leap.....Oghogho Oduokpe of Rangers rises above Kachi Akile of Lobi to win a header during their Week 12 tie at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu. The game ended 1-0 in favour of Rangers of Enugu.

ABS V AKWA: Dogo confident of victory

BY IME BASSEY

S

till basking in the euphoria of their 1-0 victory in the Ilorin derby, ABS FC coach, Sulueman Dogo is optimistic that his side will pound Akwa United in today’s Week 26 encounter.

Speaking to Inside Out Premier League from

Abuja after the team’s victory, the stopgap coach said his wards have been able to come out of their mess after losing 3-1 to Sharks of Port Harcourt in the Week 20 rescheduled tie at home.

“I am happy with the result, it shows that the boys have been able to

We’re not guilty –Rising TM

BY IME BASSEY

N

igeria Premier League (NPL) match review committee headed by Alhaji Abdulaziz Mohammed has recommended two match ban for Rising Stars coach, Sunday Erelesusi, team manager, Ayo Adubuola while Tope Adebeye faces suspension till the end of the s e a s o n .

The trio were indicted by the committee for using abusive words on match officials after their Week 22 game against Kano Pillars in Kano.

Reacting to the suspension, Rising Stars team manager, Adubuola said that his team officials were not guilty of the offence stated by the committee. ”Rising is a team with discipline, the decision came as a surprise to me, I must confess. Coach Sunday Erelesusi is one of the most respected coaches in the country and has track records of being calm and handling match situation mature-

ly”. ”We are not guilty of the offence. I have never used abusive words on match officials because I understand the rules of the game, same also for the coach and the players,” Adubuola said.

put the defeats of Sharks and the State FA Cup to Kwara United behind them to pick three points.

We all at the club are happy with the result as we look ahead to crushing Akwa United on Saturday in other for us to climb up the league ladder,” Dogo said.

Meanwhile, captain of Akwa United, Otobong Effiong believes that ABS wings can be clipped and his army are ready to do so this weekend.

“We both won our games at home despite the rivalry. We are traveling to Ilorin with one thing on our mind and that is victory and nothing else. They are beatable just as Sharks did to them, so we want to do the same,” Effiong said.

Lagos FA to work towards true professional clubs

By KATE OBODO agos State F o o t b a l l Association chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi has said that its FA is working hard to ensure that the state has a true professional club that would represent the state when it gains promotion to the Nigerian Premier League next season.

“I have said this over and over again that it is not the job of the FA to run the league but the job of clubs owners. Our job is to support clubs both financially and otherwise and not to run the

L

clubs. That is why we are in the process of streamlining the organizational sector of the clubs we have in the state, so that they would look like true professional clubs as it is done in Europe,” Akinwunmi said.

Continuing he said, “ we want a situation whereby clubs in the state have secretaries and other key positions as well as other necessary requirements that aid a club to function very well. With that, we can be sure of better clubs and better structure in the state.

STRONG FINISHING...

Front left, Ann Nwogu, Ada Blessing, Charity Adegoke and Rita Ossia finishing strongly in the 400m women event at the AFN/Desicon Golden league held at the Yaba Collage of Technology, Lagos.

Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

Pastor Olukoya U-18: AFN tasks grassroots coaches

A

challenge has been thrown to Nigerian coaches to beat the prevailing conditions in the country and discover more grassroots athletes.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Chief Solomon Ogba made the charge as the Pastor D.K Olukoya Under-18 championships draws to a close today at the Yaba College of Technology sports ground in Lagos.

Chief Ogba noted that Nigeria was struggling to make a mark in athletics currently, because coaches were no longer producing quality ath-

letes from the grassroots.

The former Delta State commissioner of sports acknowledged that the structures that produced athletes in the past have been destroyed but added that this should not hinder the coaches from working.

“In the past there was school sports. And not just that, there were

Bek ele ttar ar ge ts Olympics Bekele arge gets treble Olympic Champion and world record holder in

A

fter spending almost three years on the sidelines double

Nigeria plans big for African Championships

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igerian athletics officials have plans to storm the African Championships happening June 26- July 6 in neighboring Benin Republic with a big delegation.

This is with the aim of re-establishing its dominance of the sport in Africa and also test the preparedness of Nigerian athletes for the London

equipment in these schools. Today how many schools can boast of athletics equipment? We have a problem in our hands.

But this is a challenge to our coaches to keep working in their localities so that we can at least have some fresh talents,” said the AFN boss.

2012 Olympics.

“We have South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Ethiopia as strong contenders, but we are going there to top the table this time,” said Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba.

“If we come first or second it will be a measure of our readiness for the London 2012 Olympics.

5000m and 10,000m Kenenisa Bekele feels strong enough again to begin his quest for yet another “I am injury-free and feeling good and happy again. This will be my first race and I feel fresh to push hard. I want to test myself against very good runners” says Bekele who started the outdoor season with an easy victory at the Great Ireland Run 10k, where he also smashed the course record. He will now try to win both the long distant races (5000m and 10,000m) in London, as he did four years ago in Beijing:

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012 — 55

We’re all responsible for Yekini’s death — Ikuforiji

BY EBUN SESSOU

Nigerians were unfair to Yekini — Ladipo, King

By KATE OBODO

A

s reactions continue to pour over the death of late football legend, Rashidi Yekini, PresidentGeneral of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club Dr. Rafiu Ladipo and his former team-mate, Raymond King have said that the late Super Eagles star died because he was poorly treated by his country.

The duo who were at the M.K.O Abiola stadium, Abeokuta last Saturday to watch the Falconets demolish their DR Congo counterparts, told Saturday Vanguard Sports that the late football legend was abandoned and was frustrated due to neglect from sports administrators.

According to Dr. Ladipo, “It is a pity that we don’t celebrate our heroes when they are alive except when they have gone.

We should not forget so soon what he did for this country in 1994, both at the Nations Cup and World Cup. I don’t know of any player who we can compare Yekini with when it comes to goal scoring for Nigeria.

The government and the sports ministry refused to appreciate him when he needed them most but he was always there for us when we needed him.,”he stressed.

On his part, his former Gateway trainer, King, who could not hold back tears said, “he gave his all to this country but nobody ever noticed him. is that how we celebrate our heroes.”

Gulder Ultimat e Fiv eAside Ultimate Fivee-Aside hits P or Por ortt Harcour Harcourtt

T

wo tickets are up for grabs as the SouthSouth qualifying matches of the on-going Gulder Five-A-Side Football competition kicked off in PortHarcourt, Rivers State yesterday.

The event, which is holding at the Liberation Stadium of the Garden City and ends tomorrow, will see the best two teams clinching the tickets for the knockout stages of the competition in Lagos.

The two qualifiers from the zone will join Supremes FC and Gidan Bege FC, from the North-Central Zone and Ultimate FC and Etienne FC from the South East Zone.

According to Tony

Agenmonmen, Marketing Manager (Lager), Nigerian Breweries Plc., the Gulder Five -A-side Football Competition is a unique opportunity for grassroots football talents to display their skills.

“The unique thing about this competition is that it affords football lovers and enthusiasts from the grassroots the opportunity to showcase their skills. The truth is that not all of our local talents have the opportunity to feature in club sides across the country. That is why this competition is important. That is the reason why you see so many of our budding talents trooping out for the competition,” he said.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has taken a swipe at his colleagues for blaming the death of late Super Eagles striker, Rashidi Yekini, on the Federal Government.

According to him, even lawmakers share in the blame

for waiting till his death before bringing up his predicament before the House.

Ikuforiji told his colleagues at the plenary to stop attacking the Federal Government at every opportunity, asking them what roles they personally played in the life of the late Yekini before his death.

A member of the House,

TWO YEARS ON.. Sports Vanguard called the attention of all to Yekini’s plight weeks before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but no one heeded the call. The NFF came in belatedly but Yekini didn’t want anything to do with them.

Babatunde Ayeni, had drawn the attention of the his colleagues to the demise of the footballer under Matter of Urgent Public Importance.

Ayeni, the Chairman of the House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development, lamented that while Yekini was alive, he was abandoned by the country he served meritoriously, but that the country’s leaders were now flooding the society with condolence messages and describing him glowingly.

While reacting to their arguments, Ikuforiji said, “We are most times unreasonably sentimental and we keep bombarding and blaming the Federal Government for everything in this country, but nobody is willing to correct the anomalies. If you felt so passionate about his contributions, why couldn’t a member of this House come to the floor and encourage other members to contribute even a portion of our income towards taking care of people like Rashidi Yekini?

“Rashidi would not have died if those who now pretend to be holier-than-thou had souls that were living and had done something about it instead of coming today to start blaming the Federal Government which itself is no longer what it had been. “My verdict is that: we are guilty and this is the truth,” Ikuforiji concluded.

Help train cycling officials, Ale begs CFN, NSC

By PATRICK OMORODION

T

he Commissaires’ Association of Nigeria has called on both the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, CFN and the National Sports Commission, NSC to help in the training and re-training of technical officials of cycling to enable them measure up with the prevailing standards of officiating.

President of the commissaires’ body, Chief Alfred Ale, who made the call at a 3-Day refresher course for commissaires held at the

CHAMPIONS … Former Green Eagles goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala congratulating Obinna Ajoku, captain of Ultimate FC, winners of the South-East zonal Gulder 5-A-Side Football qualifiers at the Rangers FC training pitch in Enugu

Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan, said the need for the CFN to help train the cycling officiating officials was as a result of the decision of the International Cycling Union, (U.C.I) to relinquish the training and appointment of national commissaires to federations.He lamented the inability of the country to produce international commissaires years after the two it had retired , stressing, “this is not to say that there has not been good enough candidates to face this training but the Federations that have come and gone in cycling did not see the need for this.”

Expressing happiness that the body was able to meet after many years of inactivity, Chief Ale appealed to the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC and the Federal Ministry of Sports to help in ensuring that young and upcoming Commissaires are able to train to become U.C.I. Commissaires.

Chief Ale said it was the duty of the CFN to develop the three arms of the sport that make for a competition namely the cyclists, coaches and commissaires who handle the officiating.

He said that the dearth of cycling competitions like the Brigadier AbdulKadir Cup,

Moses Iloh Cup, Maltonic competition, Maltina Cycling tour among a host of others, calls for concern, adding that the biannual National Sports Festival which is the only competition left gives room only to a handful of commissaires to practice”.

“I want to call on all governments and individuals to please come to the assistance of cycling in Nigeria which is still at a crawling stage compared to some countries in Africa,” Chief Ale appealed.

Heartland ready for Leopards

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igeria’s Caf Confederation Cup flagbearers, Heart land arrived Lagos yesterday afternoon for their trip to DR Congo today ahead of the crunchy second leg tie against AC Leopards.Though faced with a tough challenge going beyond the elimination stage in the hands of the Congolese side, the Nigerian campaigners are upbeat that the task before them is not insurmountable.

Heartland defeated their opponents 3-2 in the first fixture at Owerri a fortnight but the slim goal margin has left many Nigerians apprehensive due to the away goals rule going into the reverse fixture in the city of Dolisie tomorrow.

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 12, 2012

A

BY KATE OBODO

s tributes continue to pour in for the late Super Eagles striker, Rashidi Yekini, former Green Eagles and Kwara State Football Academy goalkeeper’s trainer, Amusa Adisa has said that the Kwara-born player would have live longer and more productive to the country.

He said the news of Yekini’s death came to him as a big shock, adding that the system as well as the actions of some of his colleagues in the national team contributed to his state of mind which culminated to his death last week.

“We were shocked at the news of his death, especially for somebody who has contributed immensely to the development of football in this country.

He was also African footballer of the year. His death was a rude shock to the enter nation and the football world.

Nobody can do anything about it because God giveth and He taketh too. We only pray that is gentle soul rests in peace.

Continuing, he said, “Nigerians were not fair to him but he has his own grievance. Even though we tried to keep him busy, he refused saying he doesn’t want to have anything to do with Nigerian football again, claiming that some of his team-mates and some people were envious of his success in the team.”

Uche Kalu of Enyimba FC in action for the Super Eagles in the Dubai friendly last month According to Adisa, “scoring goals was the bane as he claimed they ganged-up against him, saying he was taking the glory of the Eagles success alone. As a result, he cut off from all activities of football in the country.

We tried as much as we could to him bring back during the (2010) World Cup but he refused. We tried to disabuse his mind from these thoughts but he refused, insisting he didn’t want to have anything to do with Nigerian football again. That was where the problem started.” remembered, Adisa team-mates, Victor year said though there is He said that because of Asked how best he thinks Yekini should be best said,” I think the Ikpeba debunked claims always rivalry in the Yekini’s laid back attitude of soccer he didn’t come out and government should on a cable television game immortalise his name channel, Supersports especially when a player share the glory with his and also help his family that there was a gang-up is successful in a team, team-matesplayers.

“I think he had a good because he did so much against him (Yekini) by stressing that whatever for the country ’s his team-mates at the he (Yekini ) had in the relationship with us( 1994 FIFA World Cup. team was as a result of players). We were like football.”

Ikpeba, also a former the help of his team- one big family in 1994,” Meanwhile, during the

BY EDDIE AKALONU Grade A friendly games week one of his former African Footballer of the mates. he said. x- international which would earn N i c h o l a s valuable points to push Ukadike has up the country’ profile.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 CROSS WORD PUZZLE called on the nation’s “Right now there is no football administrators to immediate competition Across 7 reconsider their choice of for the national team. But 1 Ekiti State Governor, Kayode – Down 1 Lagos State Governor, Babacountries for friendly we can be busy playing (6) 8 9 tunde – (7) matches for the national top flight friendly games 4 Panama Currency – (6) 2 Former Nigerian President, 7 Ocean – (3) Umaru – (7) team, saying “ there is a against specifically 8 L.G.A in Kano State – (4) 10 3 L.G. A in Osun State – (6) need to face top notch selected countries that 9 L.G.A in Kebbi State – (6) 4 Central African Republic Cap11 12 13 14 15 football playing will give us good points 10 Container – (3) ital City – (6) 11 Super Falconets Striker, Francountries than taking up The icing on the cake 5 Wild Ox – (5) – (6) 16 6 Former Minister of Sports, weaklings that do no would be to win and keep cisca 13 Country in Africa – (6) Stephen – (5) good for the Eagles. the team busy playing 16 Country in Asia – (5) 12 Former Minister of Sports, 17 18 19 20 21 The latest FIFA ranking quality countries either 17 Warning Device – (5) Alhaji AbdulRahman – (5) 19 Portuguese Premiership Club knocks Nigeria to 63 and hosted by us here or 14 This African Country Hosted 22 23 24 – (5) the Last Edition (2012) out of the top ten in arranged elsewhere,” he Side 22 State in Nigeria – (5) of the Africa Nations Cup – (5) Africa, but Ukadike, a insisted.

25 Uruguay Striker, Diego – (6) 25 26 27 18 Zodiac sign – (3) former top striker for the Coach Ukadike added 27 Ethnic Group in Nigeria – (6) 20 State in Nigeria – (7) 28 Japan Currency – (3) defunct Spartans, that “ rather than play 21 Afghanistan Currency – (7) 28 Energy Source – (6) 23 Former Nigerian International Iwuanyanwu Nationale, one match and wait for a 29 30 Bangladesh Currency – (4) Athlete, Mary – (6) A.C.B and Abiola Babes long interval before 31 Untruth – (3) 29 30 24 France “Ligue 1” Premiership Football Clubs playing another, we 32 Ebonyi State Governor , Mar- Club Side – (6) 31 respectively said should really put some tin – (6) 25 Ethnic Group in Ghana – (5) Former Kwara State Gover26 Indian Currency – (5) Nigeria’s case could be emphasis on playing well 33 nor, Bukola – (6) 32 33 improved “if the NFF planned games ahead of adopts a new strategy of the Nations Cup that is SOLUTION ON PAGE 43 purposely arranging still far away,”

Why Yekini withdrew from football activities —Adisa

FIFA ranking: Ukadike charges NFF to change strategy

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